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Mumbai: Three Muslim men have been booked in connection with the Milad-un-Nabi clash in Mumbai’s Parel area on Wednesday night, August 26, after a procession passed through a Hindu-majority area.

The Bhoiwada Police said they have booked Rehan Masood Sayyad and Adil Khan Ahmed Khan, both 19 years old, alongside Miraj Mohammad Firoz Rais, 18. A manhunt is underway to apprehend the trio and identify other members involved in the clash.

Authorities are still investigating the exact trigger of the communal clash and have cautioned against circulating false claims on social media. The police said they suspect an exchange of slogans between the two communities, which resulted in a verbal altercation that escalated into a clash.

Local media reported that the two groups pelted stones at each other, while videos from the night show officers using lathis to disperse the crowd. While the Hindu side claimed that the group of devotees raised slogans in a Hindu-dominated neighbourhood and pelted stones, the Muslims said that Hindutva supporters disrespected a flag raised in the religious procession.

Visuals circulating online show a large group of Muslims engaged with the local Hindus during their Milad-un-Nabi procession near Laxmi Cottage in Parel locality at midnight.

Far-right-leaning social media accounts posted several videos, displaying how the Muslim men were “treated” after the clash broke out. A clip shows two youths ordered to apologise and do sit-ups while holding their ears. The Hindu men filming the video asked the youth to chant Jai Shri Ram “loudly” multiple times and used abuses against them.

Hindutva workers in another video could be heard saying, “Yeh Mulleh ko maar (Beat this Muslim up),” while chasing down a man from the procession.