|
Mau violence claims 3, curfew clamped Press Trust of India
MAU (UP), Oct. 14. — Curfew was clamped in some parts of this communally-sensitive town today following clashes between two communities during Dussehra celebrations in which three persons were killed and 12 injured.
Three companies of Rapid Action Force from Lucknow and four battalions of PAC from Allahabad and Gorakhpur have been deployed here to control the situation and curfew imposed in Kotwali, Sarai Lakhansi and Dakshin Tola police station areas, district magistrate Mr HS Yadav said.
Trouble started yesterday when members of a particular community raised objections over celebrations of Bharat Milap, a part of Dussehra festivities, in Shahi Katra Grounds here much to the annoyance of the other community who assembled there after which both sides indulged in heavy stone pelting.
About a dozen persons were injured in the violence, which continued till this morning, and were admitted to BHU hospital in Varanasi and district hospital here where three of them succumbed to injuries, Superintendent of Police Akhileshwar Ram Misra said.
Some road-side kiosks were also set ablaze in certain areas and some property damaged after curfew was imposed, Misra said adding a mob opened fire at the railway station and disrupted movement of a train. Altogether 28 people belonging to both the communities have been arrested in this connection, Yadav said adding DIG, Azamgarh and IG, Varanasi had reached the town.
Meanwhile, the BJP alleged that an MLA supporting the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh was leading the rioting mobs which they claimed had damaged about 200 houses and shops.
In a press conference, senior BJP leaders Mr Kalyan Singh and Mr Kesari Nath Tripathi demanded suspension of the district magistrate and SP, Mau and a compensation of Rs five lakh to the deceased in the communal violence.
The BJP demanded deployment of Army in the trouble-torn town to restore order and pressed for the arrest of MLA Mr Mukhtar Ansari at the earliest for controlling the situation. “The mafia MLA is calling the shots and roaming scot free after fueling communal violence in the sensitive town,” Mr Tripathi alleged.
The party has also decided to send a three-member fact finding team to the riot affected town, the BJP leaders said.
|
