Curfew in Aligarh continues; relaxation likely this evening

Aligarh, Apr 11: Curfew imposed in parts of Aligarh after Thursday's communal flare-up continued for the sixth day today even as the situation was fast returning to normal.

Indefinite curfew clamped in Delhi Gate, Sasni Gate, Gandhi Park, Banna Devi and Kotwali police station areas continued. '' The situation is fast returning to normal and this evening we will decide on the relaxation of curfew,'' Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Law and Order, Padman Singh told UNI over phone from Aligarh.

The district administration is likely to relax curfew for two hours this evening in a phased manner in each police station area, if the situation allows for it, Mr Singh claimed.

The death toll in the Aligarh riots was eight with more than 16 people injured in police firing and group clashes.

Keeping in mind the sensitive situation, the district administration has banned the entry of political leaders into Aligarh.

Yesterday, fresh tension erupted in Aligarh town after the body of a youth buried on Sunday -- being identified as member of the minority community during autopsy -- was found to be that of the son of BJP MLA Devkinandan Kori.

Police had earlier buried the body of Triloki alias Vicky, 25, terming him as ''unidentified.'' He was killed in police firing on April 8 in the curfew-bound Sasnigate area.

The body was exhumed and handed over to father Devkinanadan Kori, BJP MLA from Sasni in the nearby Mahamayanagar (Hathras) district.

Meanwhile, the two-member high-level committee comprising principal secretary agriculture Arun Kumar Mishra and DG Police Headquaters S K Rizvi to probe the outbreak of communal violence has started its job. It has been asked to submit report by Saturday next.

At least 200 persons had so far been arrested in connection with the communal flare up, while a compensation of Rs five lakh each has been announced to the kin of the deceased by the state government.

An additional sum of Rs 2.5 lakh compensation was announced by the Centre as well.

Taking serious note of the violence, UP government has already suspended six officers inlcuding DM R K Singh, SSP Ajay Anand, SP City S K Verma, ADM Satya Bhan, Circle Officer M P Singh and an SHO.

Bhuvanesh Kumar and Akhil Kumar had been posted as the new DM and SSP respectively.

Rapid Action Force (RAF), Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and civil police had been strengthened to control the situation, an official spokesman said.

UNI

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