A dispute broke out between two groups of different communities late Friday in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut after a loudspeaker box fell on two children during a procession.

The conflict arose when a loudspeaker box from the music system used in the Avanti Bai Lodhi Jayanti procession fell on two children, injuring them. There were also reports of stone-pelting, with a video of the incident emerging.

The incident took place in the Dehli Gate police station area of Meerut, where a procession was being held on Friday evening to celebrate Avanti Bai Lodhi Jayanti, or the birth anniversary of the Lodhi Rajput queen ruler who participated in the 1857 rebellion against the British East India Company.

The procession, which began in Brahmapuri and was to end at Bacha Park, had a DJ set up in a tractor trolley. Suddenly, one of the speaker boxes fell, hitting two passing children and injuring them.

The children were immediately taken to the district hospital, but by then a crowd had gathered, leading to a confrontation between the two groups, who belonged to different communities.

The situation became tense as both sides faced off, leading to a commotion. Upon receiving a report of communal tension, police quickly arrived at the scene to defuse the situation.

SP City Ayush Vikram, along with police from several stations, reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Currently, a police force has been deployed at the spot.

The SP said the matter was under investigation and that both sides were counselled and asked to return to their homes. “An action will be taken after the investigation,” he said.