Tension mounted in Shahpur town of the district after a middle-aged trader was shot dead by unidentified assailants today afternoon, police said.
Following the murder of Irffan (40), angry locals went on a rampage, damaging shops, houses and setting three motorcycles on fire.
Senior police officers rushed to the town of Muzaffarnagar district, which has seen a series of communal clashes in the recent past, and brought the situation under control.
Security has been beefed up and a huge posse of police personnel has been deployed in the area.
Police said Irffan was shot dead while he was walking on the road alone.
The body has been sent for post-mortem, they added.
