Daily Excelsior, 03-10-15,

One more killed, shops gutted as tension in Agra continues

LUCKNOW, Oct 14: At least one person was reportedly lynched by a mob in Agra today as arson by two communities continued on the second day despite deployment of several companies of police force to control the situation.

With this, at least two persons have died since trouble began on Sunday night.

Sources told UNI from Agra that at least one person was killed when a mob using iron bars attacked some people after a clash early today. "All of last night clashes between the warring groups continued using stones and petrol bombs. There are reports of shops and houses being gutted in at least seven places," police sources claimed. Media reports today said at least two shoe and leather goods godowns were also gutted in the Arson last night.

What had erupted as a clash between BSP ansd SP supports had taken a communal colour with the Jatavs and Muslims clashing with each other police said.

Curfew was imposed yesterday in some areas of the district after the clash between the two groups over the reception accorded to a BSP defector who was recently inducted into the Mulayam Singh cabinet.

Reports received here said people from a particular community were annoyed over the defection of BSP MLA Chaudhary Bashir to SP and they attacked his carcade when he was going to attend a felicitation at Kazi Para in Mantola.

SSP, Agra D S Chauhan had told UNI that one person was charred to death when a mob burnt his house. "He failed to come out and died inside while several others were injured," he added.

Curfew was imposed in Mantola and Rakabganj Police Station circles following the clash in which police had to resort to firing in self-defence and to scare away the miscreants.

Three companies of provincial armed constabulary have been deployed in the district besides police force from 40 stations.

Also, the district has been divided into several sectors for better planning, police said. IG, Kanpur zone Babu Lal Yadav was camping in the city to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, sources here said additional force, including RAF, had been rushed to reinforce efforts of the local police.

The clash reportedly erupted when Mr Bashir had gone to Kazi Para in Mantola to participate in a felictation programme after becoming a minister in the Mulayam ministry.

A group of people belonging to a particular community which had supported him in elections when he fought on a BSP ticket, attacked him with bricks and petrol bombs. For two hours, the minister had to take refuge in the house of a motor mechanic. Police had to use force to rescue the minister.

Meanwhile, locals have alleged that police did not react immediately which led to the flaring up of the situation.

However, senior police officials were monitoring the situation and had directed the district authorities to normalise the situation at the earliest. (UNI)