Army withdraws from parts of Vadodara, curfew continues

Vadodara, May 5 (UNI) With the situation remaining by and large peaceful, the authorities today withdrew Army from two (Raopura and Karelibaug) out of six curfew-bound police station areas in Vadodara city.

After a review of the situation at a high-level meeting, the authorities also announced a four-hour curfew relaxation tomorrow for both men and women to be given in phases in all the six police station limits.

While curfew would be relaxed from 0800 hrs to 1200 hrs in Panigate, Raopura and Karelibaug areas, the three other police station areas such as Wadi, City and Navapura would get relaxation from 1330 hrs to 1730 hrs.

Police Commissioner Deepak Swaroop, who had hinted about the possible withdrawal of Army earlier in the day, said the Army flag marches and patrolling in four other riot-hit areas would, however continue till the situation returns to normal there.

According to police sources, the three-hour relaxation given today only for women and children in the six curfew-bound areas passed off peacefully at 1730 hrs without any untoward incident.

However, today for the first time since violence broke out in the city on May 1, an incident of violence was reported from a non-curfew bound area of the city. Reports said a group of miscreants ransacked a place of worship near Akota stadium under J P Road police station.

Following mounting tension in the area, the local senior police officials and forces deployed in the curfew-bound areas, were immediately sent back, and patrolling was intensified there as a precauionary measure.

The communal violence in the city triggered by demolition of a century-old mazaar of Sufi saint Rashid-ud-din Chisti, close to the historic Champaner Gate on Monday, had already claimed six lives and left more than 50 injured.

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