Gorakhpur: DM suspended SSP removed

Lucknow/Gorakhpur, Jan 29 (UNI) Taking stern action, the Uttar Pradesh government this evening suspended Gorakhpur district magistrate Hari Om and replaced the SSP amidst communal flareup in the eastern district.

Official sources said in the state capital that Hari Om was placed under suspension and Sitapur DM Rakesh Kumar Goel appointed as the new Gorakhpur District Magistrate.

SSP Gorakhpur Raja Srivastava has been attached to the DGP office, and SSP Special Task Force (STF) S K Bhagat posted as SSP of the district.

Meanwhile, curfew in this eastern UP district, imposed after the communal clash on Friday night, was relaxed for seven hours today.

Curfew in Kotwali, Tiwaripur and Rajghat areas was imposed and later, shoot-at-sight orders were issued against violators.

This afternoon, curfew was also clamped in Gorakhnath police station area amid violent protests following the arrest of BJP MP Yogi Aditya Nath. Besides, section 144 (prohibitory orders) was imposed in other police station areas.

Owing to marriage season and Moharram tomorrow, curfew in Kotwali, Tiwaripur and Rajghat was relaxed from 1600 to 2300 hrs.

However, no relaxation was made in Gorakhnath area.

Although, curfew has been relaxed, section 144 would remain in place. People have been prohibited to carry arms even in non-curfew bound areas.

BJP MP and successor of the Gorakshapeeth and 102 others were arrested for disturbing peace and violating section 144.

Agitated by Nath's arrest, his supporters torched a UPSRTC bus under Cantonment police station area. The mob also pelted stones at the Gorakhnath temple.

The mob also torched a sleeper coach of the Nautanava-Gorakhpur train near Nakha railway station.

Hindu Vahini leader and Devipatan Shaktipeeth Mahant Kaushalendra Nath and his over 12 supporters were taken into custody in Maharajganj Terai area, when they were on way to Bahraich today.

Police said Nath and his supporters had taken to streets and burnt Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in effigy.

A report from Maharajganj said, irked over the arrest of BJP MP Yogi Aditya Nath, pary workers accompanied by Hindu Vahini activists staged a 'dharna' on the highways.

The mob also damaged a bangle shop in Patiara town.

Superintendent of Police (Maharajganj) Amitabh Thakur said local police had been deployed to prevent further violence and 12 persons have been arrested.

Fifty people including MLA Dr Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, MLC Dr Y D Singh, BJP leader Shiv Pratap Shukla were arrested for violating section 144 yesterday.

Irked over the incident, the mob set afire an UPSRTC bus under Khorabhar police station area. All educational institutes have been closed till January 30.

Miscreants had opened fire on a 'baraat' procession on Friday night, in which over 24 persons were wounded in Ismailpur under Kotwali area.

Some people, trying to escape the shootout, entered a moharram procession nearby, leading to a clash between two groups. The situation turned tense after a wounded Raj Kumar Agrahari died at Gorakhpur Medical College the next morning.

UNI