Meerut: Several companies of PAC and heavy police force were pressed into service to control riot-like situation in Meerut’s Radhana village after suicides of a young couple belonging to different faiths triggered communal tension and hundreds of people belonging to a community poured on streets and attacked houses of another community late on Thursday night. Although the situation was brought under control by the police and PAC personnel, tension was palpable in the region with shops being shut and people staying indoors on Friday.According to police, a 24-year-old youth and his 17-year-old girlfriend consumed poison on Thursday after the girl’s brother spotted them together in Radhana village of Sardhana. The girl was rushed to a private doctor in the area who referred her to a hospital after giving preliminary treatment. However, the girl died while being taken to hospital.Similarly, the youth died a couple of hours later at a hospital in Kankerkhera. The news of their demise ignited tension in the area with mob from girl’s side began targeting the other community’s families.The doctor’s clinic and vehicles were vandalized by the mob “for not treating the girl” before the police could slip into action. Heavy force was deployed in the village and the situation continues to remain tense.On Friday morning, the girl's last rites were performed in the village. But, owing to the tension, the boy’s body was not laid to rest in Sardhana.Superintendent of police (rural) Rajesh Kumar said: “The situation is under control, and heavy police and PAC men have been deployed. We are keeping a close watch on the situation. No untoward incident has occurred so far since Thursday night and area is tense but peaceful.”

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