The army was called in to deal with violent communal clashes today after the Indian version of Pop Idol inflamed deep-rooted differences between the Nepali community and locals in the country’s north-east.

Members of India’s elite Rapid Action Force and Border Security Force cordoned off sections of the town of Silguri in West Bengal as police charged to quell rioting by thousands of people divided by their support for the winner and the runner-up of the global TV phenomenon.

Prashant Tamang, a 24-year-old former policeman of Nepali origin from Darjeeling, won Indian Idol 3 on Sunday night, beating Amit Paul, a Bengali singer from the small hilltribe state of Meghalaya and the judges’ favourite.

Tamang's surprise win sparked unrest in India’s troubled north-east region where supporters of Paul attacked Nepalese in Shillong town, the capital of Meghalaya. The violence was later exacerbated by a Delhi radio DJ who made allegedly “insulting” comments about Tamang and the Gurkha population from which he is descended.

The presenter has since apologised for calling Tamang “a Gurkha” but that was not enough for the singer’s fans, who took to the streets. Government offices and shops closed in protest in the hill station of Darjeeling.

The situation reached boiling point in Silguri today when locals chased a procession of Tamang’s supporters and both sides hurled stones at each other and set vehicles on fire.

Inspector General R.J.S. Nawla said a police picket had been established in Nepali-dominated pockets to ensure their safety and to protect tourists in the in Darjeeling Hills.

Tamang was forced to go on national TV to issue a plea for calm. He added that he would take legal action against the DJ for his slur. The state government is also bringing a case against him for inciting violence.

After the winner was announced, Tamang’s sister placed a traditional Nepali cap on his head, leaving people in no doubt as to his heritage. TV scenes of the night-long celebrations by ethnic Nepalese upset the Bengali and Khasi communities of Meghalaya.

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