Indians embark on peace march

Displaced: A muslim family stay in a relief camp in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD, India (CNN) -- Indian politicians and local community leaders staged a peace rally Sunday morning after a night of violence that left three people dead in Ahmedabad, police said.

Two others were killed Saturday in Baroda, also in Gujarat, according to local police.

Sunday's rally was the fourth attempt since rioting began in Gujarat late February to inspire peace in a region torn by hatred between Muslims and Hindus.

A few thousand people -- including India's Defense Minister George Fernandes and Indian Minister of Law and Justice Arun Jaitley -- marched Sunday in the wake of the renewed violence that has left more than 40 people dead since last weekend.

IN-DEPTH India's smouldering strife    CNN NewsPass VIDEO CNN's Suhasini Haidar has more on rumors that are fueling fears about India's Hindu-Muslim rioting Play video

The recent violence was sparked late February when a Muslim mob torched a train carrying Hindu pilgrims, killing 58.

The riots that have followed in the western Gujarat state have left nearly 900 people dead, however some international human rights groups have estimated the death toll much higher.

This week's violence culminated Thursday, when about 300 to 400 Muslims and Hindus took part in a battle that lasted well over an hour, with firebombs going off about every minute, according to a CNN crew that was there.

Hundreds of security forces responded, including army soldiers and members of the state's Federal Rapid Action Force. The police fired tear gas to try to bring calm and then fired warning shots into the air.

In several instances, both Hindu and Muslim rioters targeted police with firebombs.

Rumor mill

Police say rumors and false reports in local newspapers are sparking more rioting, including one claim that one group possessed high-powered rocket launchers. Police denied the reports, saying that rioters so far have used low-tech devices like petrol bombs, knives and swords.

Another rumor spreading rapidly is that the violence will escalate after school examinations end Monday.

India's parliament is scheduled Tuesday to debate the ruling BJP government's response to the riots and then vote on an opposition measure about the "government's inaction" to the riots.

The measure is not expected to pass. If it did, then by convention the ruling government would have to step down.

"What has happened in Gujarat has shocked us all," opposition congressional member Kapil Sibal told CNN. "We don't want the situation to worsen and spread to other parts of the country."

-- CNN's New Delhi Bureau Chief Satinder Bindra and Suhasini Haider contributed to this report