Indian army, police and paramilitary units had to be rushed to the trouble hit areas to quell violence and separate the warring sects who indulged in arson and looting.

Trouble has been brewing on the naming of a market after a Shiite cleric, a move strongly resented by the Sunnis of the area in village Kangamdara, 32 km from Srinagar.

The situation took a violent turn after Shiites erected the signboard in the market place, which provided the ignition point as Sunnis brought down the board in the afternoon leading to fierce sectarian clashes.

The clashes during which members of the two communities used stones, sharp edged weapons resulted in injuries to 20 persons -- three of them being critical.

The violent mobs also set fire to over three dozen shops and houses in the villages around Kangamdara.

Indian security forces had a tough time restoring order after their deployment in the villages and had to resort to aerial firing, tear-gas and repeated baton charges.

However, as these measures failed, authorities imposed a round-the-clock curfew in ten villages with mixed population of the two sects this evening.

The fire tenders were also rushed to the areas to douse the blaze, which had engulfed shops and houses.

The Indian security forces were making announcements from loudspeaker fitted vehicles asking people to return to their homes and stay indoors.

“Curfew has been imposed in 10 villages and security forces are patrolling the sensitive areas to maintain calm,” deputy inspector general of police north Kashmir range, A. Q. Manhas told Arab News.