Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district on Thursday night imposed curfew following communal clashes over circulation of an objectionable video.
Police said that two youths, who made and circulated an objectionable video of deities of another religion, have been arrested.
"There is tension in the city but no incident of violence has been reported so far. Two young men who shot and circulated the video making objectionable statements about deities of another community have been arrested and sent to jail," Akash Deep, District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri district, said.
Meanwhile, tension gripped the whole city with markets shut and hundreds of people rallying around the district police station demanding the accused boys be handed over to them.
"The boys were arrested and the Magistrate arrived at the police station to take them under judicial custody before the situation could turn ugly... people were pacified somehow, however the tension still prevails," a police official said.
Two people also suffered gunshot injuries in the clashes. All educational institutes in the districts have been closed till further orders by the district administration.
The district administration is on high alert and police patrolling has been increased to avoid any untoward incident.
Lakhimpur Kheri, the largest district in the state, had last seen curfew in 1948 after the assassination of then PM Indira Gandhi.
The incident comes in the midst of assembly polls. Polling here was held on February 15. Results will be declared on March 11.
