RAJKOT: Dhrangadhra town of Surendranagar district was on the boil on Thursday after bitter clashes broke out between the darbars (kshatriya community) and bharwads (traditional cattle grazers), which left two persons dead and at least three injured. Tension was simmering between the communities after the murder of Indrasinh Zala, former Dhrangadhra civic body chief who was out on parole in the murder case of history sheeter Popat Bharwad on Friday last week.Trouble first broke out in Halvad town in the evening when a group of darbars were on their way to Dhrangadhra to attend the condolence meeting of Zala. When they reached Gopaldham temple near Halvad Marketing Yard, a group of bharwads allegedly pelted stones at them. The darbars regrouped and violence broke out near the temple where nearly 25-30 vehicles were vandalized and set ablaze, police said. In the clashes, Rana Shiyal , 45, a resident of Go lasan village near Halvad, died. Sources said that he suffered a bullet injury and was also stabbed in the abdomen. Two others -Kheta Bharwad and Vala Bharwad -were injured, one of them seriously.Later, another person in Soldi village near Dhrangadhra was killed in the violence between the two communities, said Deepak Meghani, superintendent of police, Surendrangar. "Mobile internet has been suspended in Morbi and Surendranagar districts while seven SRP companies have been deployed. Situation is under control but very tense," Meghani said.Morbi police was rushed to Halvad and the situation was brought under control. However, violence soon spread to Dhrangadhra town where a sweet shop and an office of a bharwad community member were set ablaze.Large-scale arson and vandalism were reported in the town with small kiosks selling paan and tea being damaged. Darbars in huge numbers had gathered at the Kshatriya Samaj Vaadi from Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Morbi and Kutch for the condolence meeting.In Chuli village between Halvad and Dhrangadhra, a tea stall owned by a Bharwad was set ablaze while a house was also set on fire in Soldi village.With situation threatening to spiral out of control, separate teams led by three inspectors general of police (IGP) level officers have been pressed into action to maintain law and order. IG Brijesh Jha, Rajkot range IG DN Patel and IG Ajay Chaudhary have been given the responsibility of Dhrangadhra, Morbi and Halvad respectively.A curfew-like situation prevailed in Dhrangadhra with all shops and business establishments shutting down due to fear of violence.

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