Curfew clamped in Bhusawal town

Jalgaon, Maharashtra, Dec 4 (UNI) The district authorities in Bhusawal clamped curfew in the town tonight following large scale violence after a rampaging mob burnt down a hotel and residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Santosh Choudhary, over the alleged beating of 13 members of the newly elected municipal council.

District Collector Vijay Singhal told UNI that curfew would remain in force from 2100 hrs to 0600 hrs tomorrow. He said after a two-hour relaxation, it will be reimposed at 0800 hrs.

The mob also set afire Sai dairy, Hotel Rangoli and Hotel Ashoka in the town. Several vehicles were also vandalised by the mob and at least one was set ablaze, police said.

The trouble began when outgoing council president Rekha Choudhary, who is wife of Santosh Choudhary, convened the Council meeting, saying she could not hold it earlier because the Model Code of Conduct for elections to 167 civic bodies and two nagar panchayats held in Maharashtra on November 19 had come into force.

The group led by Choudhary, however, lost the elections. 'Save Busawal Front', said to have been floated jointly by NCP's local MLA Suresh Jain and BJP MLA Eknath Khadse, won the polls, bagging 28 seats in the 47-member House.

When the Front's members opposed the meeting, saying she could not convene it after having lost the election, members supporting Ms Choudhary allegedly started beating the Front's members, wounding 13 of them.

The news spread like wildfire in the town and people angry at the conduct of the outgoing ruling members of the municipal council went BERSEK and burnt down properities associated with Mr Choudhary and her supporters.

Meanwhile, Jalgaon Civil Hospital Chief Surgeon A C Patil said of the 32 injured, 14 are still undergoing treatment and others were discharged after first aid.

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