As the police organised peace meetings and newly-appointed DGP P C Pande made a quiet visit to the city, violence began this afternoon near Adania Pul during the funeral procession of two Fatehpura residents, Imran Hussain Dhobi (25) and Mohammad Hayat Mansuri (22), who died yesterday. Both communities began pelting stones at each other.

Acid bulbs were thrown at an SRP tent near Panigate police station, seriously injuring five jawans. The SRP jawans fired nine rounds and lobbed tear-gas shells.

In the combing operations that followed, police arrested 48 people, including 22 in connection with the two stabbings yesterday.

Vadodara police commissioner Deepak Swaroop said police fired 14 rounds and lobbed 56 tear gas shells to control the violence.

DGP Pande said he had advised Swaroop to continue dialogue with the two communities. “Our focus is that the anti-encroachment drive should be allowed to continue without creating major law and order upsets.”

A bus was torched last night by rioters near Aradhana Talkies. Police also fired tear-gas shells in Doodhwalla Mohalla behind the Vadodara court complex as members of the two communities clashed. A cotton godown near Ajabdi mill was set on fire by local residents in the afternoon.