By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,

Jalgaon: In a short span of 10 days, communal violence again erupted in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra, claiming two lives in police firing on the night of 22nd April when two groups clashed violently.

Simmering tension between the Hindu and Muslim communities in Jalgaon boiled over this time in Chopada tehsil when marriage procession with their music band blowing while going past a mosque was attacked. Reports say that the marriage procession was asked by people gathered for prayer in the mosque to slow down music but they refused. The violent clashes between the two communities forced the police to open fire which resulted in the deaths of two persons. Fifteen others were injured in the incident. Several shops were burnt in the violence.

To control the growing tension, the police have clamped curfew at Chopada tehsil. Several teams of paramilitary forces have reportedly been rushed to the area to prevent further escalation of violence.

Meanwhile, the Congress-NCP combine Maharashtra government has ordered a CID inquiry into the riots and subsequent police firing. Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil announced in the assembly that the families of the dead would be given compensation of Rs one lakh each. The victims are said to be from the majority community.

Earlier on 13th April, the Raver tehsil had to witness communal violence in a similar situation. The police then had to fire in the air to disperse rioting mobs when members of a Ramnavmi procession threw gulal on a mosque along the way. In the following violence, Yunus Khan, a resident of Raver, was beaten brutally and acid was poured on him. He succumbed to injuries four days later. It is not known whether the government announced any compensation in that case.