Two girls killed in communal flare up in UP village

PRATAPGARH: In an outbreak of communal violence, two girls were charred to death and over 100 houses were set ablaze following the gunning down of a youth, an accused in a murder case, in a village on Sunday.

The murder of Ashutosh Pathak, who was out on bail, by some unidentified persons in village Gonda triggered the communal flare up, police said.

As the news of the youth's killing poured in, hundreds of people, carrying weapons, attacked establishments of a particular community in Gonda, Baldu and Subedar villages, they said.

Over 100 houses were set ablaze in which two girls were charred to death, police said.

Tension ran high in the three villages bordering Pratapgarh and Raebareli districts.

SP (Pratapgarh) Prem Prakash said adequate PAC and police personnel were deployed in trouble-torn villages to control the situation.

Police detained over 100 people in connection with the violence, he said.

Pathak, who was shot dead, was an accused in a murder case and was out on bail, police said adding he was among top 10 criminals of the area.

Of late, there was open hostility between Pathak's family and members of another family over the post of village Pradhan, police said.