NEW DELHI Reuter: One person was killed and at least 10 injured after police fired on thousands of rioters in Delhi’s old walled city during Moslem Hindu clashes police said.
Police fired on 3000 rioters who threw stones and set ablaze a row of Hindu owned ships near The giant 16th century Jama Masid Mosque.
They opened fire after teargas failed to disperse the crowd which took to the streets on hearing reports that Hindus had defiled a local Moslem holy place.
Paramilitary police rushed to the walled city which was put under indefinite curfew. The area was reported to be quiet this morning.
About 10 people including 2 police man were injured and more than 50 rioters arrested.
Violence flared after speakers told a crowd at the massive Jamia Masjid Mosque an open air structure with a capacity for 36000 that Hindus had entered a holy place earlier in the afternoon without removing their shoes in contravention of the Moslem practice.
It was the second time in less than two months that police have imposed curfew in old Delhi a sectarian flashpoint where Moslems and Hindus have lived for Centuries together.
Curfew was imposed briefly last month when Sikh Hindu riots threatened to spill over into Moslem Hindu violence.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 12, 1986
