Vadodara riots:dealth toll rises to five

Vadodara, May 2 : The death toll in the riot-hit Vadodara city has risen to five with one more person succumbing to bullet injuries as six police station areas remained curfew-bound for the second day today.

Authorities have however, decided to relax curfew for a couple of hours in Panigate and Raopura police station areas from 1230 hrs to 1430 hrs, and in Wadi and Karelibaug areas from 1500 hrs to 1700 hrs following improvement in the situation.

Talking to UNI today, Police Commissioner Deepak Swaroop said one Mohammad Aspaq Aarab, who was injured in yesterday's police firing near the Champaner gate during the 'dargah' demolition drive by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), died last night at the SSG civil hospital.

Police sources said Aarab (23), a resident of Wadi Taiwada, was hit on his chest and was brought to the SSG hospital from a private nursing home late in the night after his condition deteriorated.

Earlier in the day yesterday, two people were killed in police firing near the 'dargah' and as many were stabbed to death in separate incidents of mob violence that soon spread all over the communally sensitive walled city areas.

According to police and hospital sources, more than 50 people were injured, 16 of them in police firing, the police lobbed around 120 tear gas shells and opened fire at two places to disperse the crowd which even attacked the Nyaya Mandir (District and Sessions court) and set on fire and damaged about 65 houses, shops and vehicles.

While curfew would be relaxed in Panigate, Raopura, Wadi and Karelibaug this afternoon, Navapur and city police station areas would remain curfew-bound because of the tense situation prevailing there following last nights incidents of stabbing and rioting, Mr Swaroop said.

In separate incidents of violence last night, irate mob attacked Navapura police out-post in which three more people, including one State Reserve Police (SRP) jawan were stabbed.

Police fired 11 rounds after a 500 strong mob attacked the Navapura out-post and stabbed SRP jawan Kirit Chauhan and one Anil Bechar Mali with sharp-edged weapons and also indulged in heavy brickbatting, the sources said.

In another incident, one Abdul Azij Sheikh (45) was stabbed at the Dandia Bazar by the mob.

All the three victims were rushed to the SSG hospital. Incidents of stone pelting and rioting were also reported from Ektanagar, Chipwada, Bharwad Mohallah and Mehboobpura.

UNI

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