Seven persons were injured and three shops and two auto rickshaws damaged in a clash that broke out between two groups at Sengipatti village near Thanjavur last night, triggering tension in the area.

According to police, a group of kabbadi players, all Dalits, from Sengipatti were sitting in an eatery after participating in a tournament at Solaganpatti in Pudukottai district.

Trouble began when a group of youths, all caste-Hindus from the neighbouring Kariyapatti village, came there and asked the players not to make noise. A quarrel broke out between the two groups. The kabbadi players, who were drunk, assaulted the members of the other group.

In retaliation, a group of caste-Hindus from Kariyapatti and Paalayapatti, came to Sengipatti yesterday late evening and attacked and damaged two auto-rickshaws.

As the news spread, a group of Dalits attacked and ransacked three shops run by Caste Hindus in Sengipatti village.

Seven persons including two Dalits – Apparasu (46), Senthil Kumar (27), Ramasamy (50), Muruganandam (20), Ramkumar (19), Subash Chandra Bose and Tamilarasan (40) were injured. Four of them have been admitted to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital while the other three in a private hospital.

A large posse of police have been deployed in the area to avert any further untoward incidents. Sengipatti police have registered three cases and arrested 14 persons, including eight Dalits.