Gorakhpur flareup: DM, SSP, three others suspended

Lucknow/Gorakhpur, Jan 29 (UNI) Amidst allegations by the Opposition in failing to curb violence, the Uttar Pradesh government tonight suspended the DM and SSP of Gorakhpur which had been witnessing communal flareup since Saturday last.

Three others-- middle-level police officials of Gorakhpur -- were also placed under suspension.

Official sources said here that District Magistrate Hari Om and SSP Raja Srivastava were placed under saspension. DM (Sitapur) Rakesh Kumar Goel has been posted as DM Gorakhpur. Similarly, SSP (Special Task Force) S K Bhagat has been made the new district police chief of the riot-torn eastern district.

SP (City) R B Yadav, CO (City) D M Dwivedi and station officer of Kotwali police station Ramjit Chaudhury have been suspended.

In the state capital, opposition BJP and Congress termed the tension as a well-planned move by the ruling Samajwadi Party to garner Muslim votes in the coming assembly elections.

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 also issued against violators.

Today 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.

(EDS: Pick up suitably from earlier series) UNI