Two people were killed and several injured when groups of Hindus and Muslims clashed over prayers at a Hindu temple in north India. Officials said the rioting erupted in a crowded neighbourhood of Aligarh town in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday after Muslims objected to the use of loudspeakers overnight by Hindus, who were celebrating the birthday of the Hindu god-king, Rama. "Additional police, including riot police, have been deployed in affected areas and a curfew has been imposed," said S K Aggarwal, the principal home secretary for Uttar Pradesh.Knives, bricks and bamboo sticks were used in the fighting, and police reported gunshots. Eight of the injured were in a critical condition, officials said. Aligarh, which has a large Muslim population, has been the scene of frequent clashes between Hindus and Muslims in the past.