Curfew in MP town after Id violence

Khandwa, MP, Apr 11 (UNI) Indefinite curfew was clamped on the district town of Khandwa in western Madhya Pradesh after a Milad-un-Nabi procession was pelted with stones today, a senior official said.

The procession, which was taken out from Imlipura locality, was targeted by members of a certain community when it reached Jawahar Chowk. The agitated processionists retaliated and threw stones at the attackers. A fow handcarts were overturned during the melee.

Shopkeepers downed shutters in in panic.

''Earlier, a Mahavir Jayanti procession passed peacefully along the same route. However, in the rush some women and children got separated from the main procession,'' Collector Nikunj Srivastava told UNI.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC were initially imposed and tear gas shells lobbed to disperse the mob.

Curfew was clamped as a precautionary measure apprehending further violence.

A heavy police 'bandobust' was in place and senior officers were maintaining a stern vigil on the situation, he said.

UNI XC-AC SP JN RN1322