9 arrested in Goa after clash over religious programme

Panaji, Nov 19 (IANS) Nine persons have been arrested in Goa following a clash between two groups over installation of lights and decoration for a religious float parade being readied for a public procession, police said on Monday.

The incident occurred late on Sunday night in Gogol, near South Goa's Margao town. South Goa Superintendent of Police Arvind Gawas said it had, however, no linkage to any communal issue.

"It is not a communal issue. It was a gang fight between two groups," Gawas told reporters here.

"The fight started over a small misunderstanding over setting up lights for the procession. We have arrested nine persons from both groups," the police officer said.

He also said that following a complaint filed by one Kiran Naik, four persons had been arrested under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (causing hurt), 504 (breach of peace), while after registering one more complaint from Rekha Borkar from the other group, under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with weapon), 427 (mischief) read with 149 i (unlawful assembly guilty of offence) of the Indian Penal Code.

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