Communal clashes broke out between Muslims and Hindus in Gujarat’s Vadodara on the night of the Diwali festival. The clashes reportedly broke out in the Panigate area of Vadodara at around 1 am at night. Panigate is a Muslim-majority area of the city.

As per the reports of the local media, the incident took place when stones were hurled toward the Swaminarayan temple from the Muslim medical centre of the area. The clashes occurred when Muslims in the area objected over bursting crackers on the occasion of Diwali. As per reports, the investigation by Gujarat Police has revealed that the riots were pre-planned as the streetlights were turned off before hurling the petrol bombs toward the temple.

A petrol bomb was also thrown on DCP zone-3 Yashpal Jaganiya. The DCP has survived the attack. Many vehicles were set on fire and shops vandalized, the DCP said. The Vadodara Police have constituted a special team to probe the matter. The police have filed an FIR and arrested 19 in the case.

Earlier during the Ganeshotsav festival last month, the police detained 13 people in the area for pelting stones at the Ganeshotsav procession in the Panigate area.