Union minister denied entry in riot-hit Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur/Lucknow, Feb 1: Union Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal was today denied entry in the riot-torn district of Gorakhpur, even as he announced that the Centre might take action if the sitution did not return to normal soon.

Talking to reporters in the state capital after his return from Gorakhpur, Mr Jaiswal informed when the district administration requested him not to visit riot-hit areas, he accepted their plea.

The Union Minister, along with state Congress leaders participated in a peace march. Police had yesterday detained and released UPCC president Salman Khurshid and others, while on their way to Gorakhpur to carry out a 'shanti sadbhawna' march.

The district administration reasoned that his visit to the curfew-bound areas could cause law and order problem.

''I went to Gorakhpur on the directions of the government to take stock of the ground position...If things do not improve, the Centre will not sit back,'' he asserted in reply to a question.

He said top district and police officials had apprised him of the situation. ''The situation there is calm, but tense,'' he added.

He assured ''if required additional central paramilitary forces would be deployed in the city.'' Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav criticised the Union Minister for breaching protocol by not informing his government about his plans to visit Gorakhpur. Mr Yadav was addressing a seminar at Ghazipur district.

Curfew, which was imposed in this eastern Uttar Pradesh district after a communal flare-up, continued for the sixth day today, even though no violent incident was reported in the last 24 hours.

Curfew in Kotwali, Tiwaripur and Rajghat areas was imposed after a communal clash on Friday night. Besides, section 144 (prohibitory orders) was imposed in other police station areas.

Later on Monday, curfew was also clamped in Gorakhnath police station area amid violent protests following the arrest of BJP MP Yogi Aditya Nath. Shoot-at-sight orders were issued against the curfew violators.

Additional District Magistrate (City) P K Agarwal said ''the administration is leaving no stone unturned to maintain law and order situation in the city and so far, it has not planned to make any relaxation in the curfew.'' Earlier, when curfew was relaxed, one person was shot dead and another wounded. Therefore, the administration wants to take no chance this time, he noted.

So far, over 450 persons have been arrested for ''disturbing peace'' and violating prohibitory orders.

Meanwhile, a report from Siddharth Nagar said 29 BJP leaders along with Hindu Vahini activists were arrested, when they were going to protest the arrest of the BJP MP.

So far, police have held 231 persons in the district. All schools and colleges of the district have been closed till tomorrow.

Miscreants had opened fire at a 'baraat' procession on Friday night, in which over 24 people were wounded in Ismailpur under Kotwali police station area at Gorakhpur.

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

Curfew in the neighbouring Kushinagar district was also imposed after things went out of control there.

UNI