Three persons were killed and 82 injured as two groups clashed in North Maharashtra's Dhule town prompting authorities to clamp curfew, police said on Sunday.

T K Khot, Civil Surgeon, Dhule Civil Hospital, told that of the three deceased, two were killed in stone-pelting and one was allegedly killed in police firing.

The injured included additional collector M Y Patel, eight policemen and two women. Sources said over 100 persons were injured in the clash.

One of the deceased has been identified as Shaikh Imran Shaikh Abu (40), Khot said adding that the other two are yet to be identified.

Trouble started this afternoon when some people, belonging a particular community, allegedly torn off banners of Hindu Rakshan Samiti appealing to people to attend a public meeting in Dhule's Ram Mandir Chowk in the evening, police said.

Earlier police had to use tear gas and fire into the air to disperse the rioters. Soon authorities imposed curfew to bring the situation under control, they said.

Additional police personnel, including the State Reserve Police from Nandurbar and Dhule, have been deployed in the trouble-torn areas. Collector Prajakta Lavangare, Special IG SP Gupta and DSP Sunil Kolhe are keeping a close watch on the situation, sources said.