Mau generally quiet, curfew on

Mau (UP), Oct 21 (PTI) Two shops were set afire and four youths were arrested for creating trouble in riot-torn Mau where curfew remained in force for the seventh consecutive day today even as authorities described the situation in the town as near normal. Curfew was relaxed for women and children in the day to help them collect essential commodities distributed by different government agencies. Some anti-socials torched two shops in Ahaldadpura area last night, official sources said adding four youths trying to create trouble in Kasmipuraa locality were arrested. Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Home) Alok Sinha told reporters in Lucknow that the situation in Mau was totally peaceful. District Magistrate Mukesh Meshram too said "the situation is now almost normal." Security forces continued round the clock vigil in all sensitive areas and efforts were on to identify perpetrators of the communal strife, the sources said. Sinha said the administration had given a green signal to Railway authorities to restore train services suspended in the wake of communal frenzy that erupted last Thursday over Dussehra festivities. Azamgarh Commissioner distributed Rs two lakh as ex gratia to each bereaved family, the sources said. Cases had already been registered against over 500 people including Independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari and BJP MLC Ramji Singh in connection with communal violence that left nine dead.