Curfew was clamped in this communally-sensitive town of Mau following clashes between two communities during Dussera celebrations in which one person was killed and at least 12 others were injured.

As tension prevailed, authorities rushed Rapid Action Force from Lucknow and a battalion of PAC each from Allahabad and Gorakhpur to control the situation.

The main affected localities were those coming under Kotwali, Sarai Lakhansi and Dakshin Tola police station areas, District Magistrate H S Yadav told reporters.

Trouble began Thursday evening when members of a particular community raised objections over the celebration of Bharat Milap, a part of Dussera festivities, in Shahi Katra grounds in Mau, Yadav said.

Angered by the objections, members of the other community indulged in heavy stone-pelting and opened fire, which continued till this morning, leading to injuries to about a dozen people, Yadav said adding, one person, who had received gunshot injuries during the cross-firing, died in hospital later.

Some roadside kiosks were set also ablaze in certain areas and some property damaged during curfew hours, but the situation was now under control, he said.

The injured were admitted to Benares Hindu University hospital in Varanasi and the district hospital in Mau, the district magistrate said adding, altogether 28 people belonging to both communities had been arrested in this connection.