Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of communal incidents in any state in India in 2017, the Centre told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, PTI reported. Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said 195 out of the 822 communal incidents in the country in 2017 took place in Uttar Pradesh.

In 2016 too, Uttar Pradesh had topped the list of states for the most communal incidents, with 162.

Karnataka, with 100 such incidents, followed Uttar Pradesh on the 2017 list. As many as 91 communal incidents took place in Rajasthan, 85 in Bihar and 60 in Madhya Pradesh, Ahir said in response to a written question.

“The incidents are reported to be attributed to religious factors, land and property disputes, gender-related offences, social media related issues and other miscellaneous factors,” Ahir added.

The total number of communal incidents in the country increased from 703 in 2016 to 822 in 2017, the Centre said.