AHMEDABAD, March 31: Seven people were killed and several injured in fresh anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat and Maharashtra states on Sunday.

“Two people died in police firing and one due to injuries from a sharp weapon at Gomtipur area of Ahmedabad city early on Sunday,” a senior police official said.

The official said police opened fire to disperse a large group of Hindus and Muslims who pelted stones at each other in the area. Twelve people, including two police officials, were injured.

Police said a curfew had been imposed in Gomtipur and army and paramilitary forces were patrolling the streets.

They said three people were killed later in Kambhat, a small town in Gujarat’s Anand district, about 80kms from Ahmedabad.

Hindu mobs also burnt several shops belonging to Muslims in Baroda district on Sunday, police said. Police opened fire to disperse the rioting crowd.

State officials said police have been asked to make preventive arrests to avoid fresh outbreak of violence.—Reuters