India’s Jamshedpur has become a war zone after communal clashes broke out between two groups over the alleged desecration of a religious flag.

The authorities have imposed a Section 144 and suspended the internet temporarily after riots on Sunday.

The mobs threw stones at each other and set two shops and an auto-rickshaw on fire in Shastrinagar. Police intervened, using teargas shells to disperse the violent mobs.

On Monday morning, security forces conducted a flag march at the Kadma police station area, following clashes.

Police said that the clashes started on Saturday night after a local organisation alleged that a piece of meat was tagged to a Ram Navami flag.

Several organisations protested demanding the arrest of culprits within 24 hours. However, the situation went out of hand on Sunday evening when a shop was gutted leading to brick-batting from both sides.

Dozens have been injured so far in the violent clashes as situation remains tensed in the area.