Four madrasa students were allegedly thrashed with cricket bats and sticks, police said while denying the charge that boys were beaten up for not chanting "Jai Shri Ram".
Police said the quarrel was over playing cricket and their investigation showed that no slogans were raised, contrary to what the FIR lodged by the madrasa manager said.
Police said this was an attempt to cause communal tension.
The incident allegedly took place at the playground of Government Inter College in the Civil Lines area on Thursday, resulting in injuries to the madrasa students.
The students of Dar-ul-Uloom Faiz-e-Aam were playing cricket, when the accused allegedly beat them up with bats and sticks.
"During the probe, it was confirmed that the incident took place due to a dispute during a cricket match and no slogans were raised," said Additional Director General (Law & Order) PV Ramashatri in a press conference on Friday evening.
"There were attempts to vitiate the communal atmosphere by distorting facts but due to alert police, the matter was tackled and a case was also registered," he said, adding that anti-social elements tried to do the same in Meerut and Agra, which was thwarted.
"Similarly, in Unnao, attempts were made to vitiate the communal atmosphere but these were thwarted. There was a positive support of local people in this regard. In the entire state, police and administration is alert and working without any discrimination," he said.
The ADG said if any person spreads rumour, legal action would be taken against him.
Commenting on the issue, Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi said, "We want to tell if any incident is played up, we will take strict action without discrimination against those who spread rumours and try to vitiate the communal atmosphere."
Unnao SP Madhav Prasad Verma said an FIR was registered against four persons, adding that two of them were detained.
We are probing the matter and situation is under control, the SP added.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of madrasa manager Nisar Ahmad against four persons under IPC Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (assault or criminal force), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation), he said.
In the FIR, the complainant alleged that the students were thrashed as they did not chant "Jai Shri Ram".
Some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders reached the police station in support of the accused later.
