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Coimbatore communal riots

· Coimbatore

The killing of a traffic constable in Coimbatore was followed by communal riots in which 18 Muslims and 2 Hindus were killed.

On 29 November 1997 a traffic constable was murdered in Coimbatore, allegedly by Muslim youths linked to the Al Ummah group. Over the next three days, riots broke out in which Muslim-owned shops and homes were looted and burnt, and sections of the police were accused of taking part or abandoning their posts. Eighteen Muslims and two Hindus were killed. The army and Rapid Action Force were deployed to restore order. The riots deepened communal polarisation in the city.

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