VARANASI: Communal tension gripped Muslim dominated Mukeriganj area of Mirzapur district on Tuesday evening following a clash between Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists and Milad-un-Nabi revelers. Two local BJP MLAs Ratnakar Mishra and Ramashankar Patel, BJP city chief Balendu Mani Tripathi also joined the VHP protesters, who continued sit-in stir till late evening.To mobilise people for reaching Ayodhya on November 25 to attend proposed Dharm Sabha on the issue of temple construction on Ram Janambhumi the local unit VHP activists had carried out a motorcycle rally in the city on Tuesday afternoon. Some characters in makeup of Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman were moving ahead while other VHP activists were following them in the rally.When they entered Mukeriganj area, which was decorated with religious flags and electrical bulbs to mark the celebration of Milad-un-Nabi on Wednesday, around 5.30pm some of such flags fell on road. The VHP Mirzapur district unit president Ramchandra Shukla alleged that a group of local youths attacked the VHP activists after targeting the boys in makeup of Hindu deities. With the spread of news of attack on VHP men people from neighbouring localities ran towards Mukeriganj, where clash between people of two communities including brick batting continued for over an hours.On getting information, district magistrate Mirzapur Anurag Patel and SP Shalini reached there with heavy police force. Police pacified the situation by separating both the groups. However, VHP activists started sit-in at the same venue. Shukla alleged that despite repeated efforts the SP could not be contacted on time due to which no policemen reached the area and local youths got the opportunity to attack VHP activists. He warned that the VHP will continue its sit-in indefinitely and will not allow people of other community to carry out their Milad-un-Nabi procession on Wednesday.In view of tension gripping there DM, SP and other senior officials of district administration and police were holding talks with both groups till night.ADG Varanasi Zone PV Ram Shastri said that situation was under control in Mirzapur. He said DM and SP were holding talks with prominent citizens of both groups to maintain law and order.

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