MP pacing towards normal

Rajgarh(MP), Feb 3 (UNI) With the situation fast returning to normal, curfew was relaxed for a total of nine hours on two occasions today in Bioara town of Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh district.

As no untoward incident had been reported during the curfew relaxation from 1200 to 1700 hours, the period was extended up to 1900 hrs, District Collector G P Tiwari said.

Earlier, curfew was relaxed for two hours from 0700 hours to 0900 hrs.

Curfew was clamped in Bioara town on Wednesday following arson and violence in the wake of mounting communal tension after removal of a poster relating to a religious congregation.

A total of 60 people had been detained in connection with the violent incidents and 43 of them had been remanded to jail.

Police and Rapid Action Force personnel were patrolling the sensitive areas.

Meanwhile, MPCC President Subhash Yadav was not allowed to visit the curfew-bound areas today.

While seeking action against the guilty and compensation to the affected, in a memorandum submitted to the district authorities, Mr Yadav alleged the BJP was attempting to create riots in different parts of the state on ''Gujarat pattern''.

The administration under BJP regime was being run by RSS, he added.

UNI