A protest staged by some Hindu groups on Wednesday in Kolhapur, a town in India's Maharashtra state, turned violent as some shops and vehicles were ransacked by rioters.
Local authorities have suspended the internet services in the town as a precautionary measure.
The demonstrators were calling for a shutdown in Kolhapur as a protest against a controversial WhatsApp status, which Hindu groups alleged was intended to glorify two Muslim rulers - Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan.
As the protesters vandalised some shops, police had to resort to the use of batons to control the mob.
Teams of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) have also been called to control the situation.
An investigation was launched and action would be taken against those found guilty of riling the crowd, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said.
“People of a particular community are glorifying Aurangzeb... This will not be tolerated. Aurangzeb is being glorified simultaneously in different districts of Maharashtra... this cannot happen all of a sudden. It is not just a coincidence,” Deputy State Chief Devendra Fadnavis commented.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties in the state have slammed the state government for failing to maintain law and order in the town.