Prohibitory orders lifted in Goa

Panaji, Mar 8 (UNI) With situation in disturbed South Goa returning to normal, the Goa government today lifted prohibitory orders imposed since last Friday evening.

Security, however, has been beefed up in Goa in the wake of blasts in Varanasi yesterday.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Crime) Ujjwal Mishra told UNI here today that the situation in troubled areas of South Goa had returned to normal and no untoward incidents were reported.

Nobody has so far been taken into custody in connection with the vandalism against minority community although six cases have been filed against miscreants for looting and arson.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane and members of the peace committee, constituted by the GPCC under the leadership of Panchayat Raj Minister Subhash Shirodkar, visited the affected areas to restore confidence among the minorities.

The state government has not yet decided on instituting a judicial probe, as demanded by both the Congress and the BJP, into the causes leading to the riots.

State BJP president Rajendra Arlekar has renewed his demand for resignation of Mr Rane as chief minister owning responsibility for the ''total failure of the administrative machinery to prevent attack on minorities with the indulgence of outside forces''.

He also urged the government to demolish all ''illegal structures'', irrespective of their religious affiliations, so that similar disturbances do not recur.

Mr Arlekar, meanwhile, condemned Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal who returned to Delhi yesterday without visiting the troubled areas.

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