Rajnath calls SSP Varanasi, asks to ensure peace in temple town

New Delhi, Oct 5: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday spoke to SSP of Varanasi and took stock of the situation arising out of violence and asked him to ensure peace in the temple town.

During the telephonic conversation with Senior Superintendent of Police Akash Kulhari, Singh took a detailed briefing about the violence that broke out during march by some seers and the steps taken to check it.

Singh asked the police officer to ensure that no more violence takes place in the city and peace was restored as early as possible, sources said.

Violence erupted in Varanasi today with protestors indulging in stone-pelting on police and setting ablaze a police picket and a number of vehicles.

The violence broke out when some people in the crowd resorted to stone-pelting during a march by seers and some other locals, police sources said.

The mob also indulged in arson, setting afire a police picket, a police jeep, a motorbike and some shops in Godowlia area under Dashashwamedh police station. Varanasi is the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PTI