Curfew relaxed in riot-hit Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur, Feb 6 (UNI) Curfew was relaxed for nine hours today in this riot-hit eastern Uttar Pradesh district following improvement in the situation.

Talking to UNI, District Magistrate Rakesh Kumar Goyal said, ''The curfew is relaxed from 0900 hrs to 1800 hrs in all the four police station areas and if normalcy is not disturbed, the relaxation period would be extended tommorow.'' ''As many as 25 companies of paramilitary forces have been pressed deployed in the affected areas. Anyone found violating the orders will be booked under the National Security Act (NSA),'' Senior Superintendent of Police S K Bhagat said.

All educational institutions have been closed till February 8 but with the situation fast returning to normal, there would be no further need to extend the closure. Besides, the services of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses, which were suspended, have been started from today, Mr Bhagat maintained.

Meanwhile, long queues were witnessed at medicine and grocery shops.

Curfew in Kotwali, Tiwaripur and Rajghat areas was imposed after a communal clash on the night of January 26. Besides, section 144 (prohibitory orders) was imposed in other police station areas.

On January 29, curfew was also clamped on Gorakhnath police station area amid violent protests following the arrest of BJP MP Yogi Aditya Nath. Shoot-at-sight orders were issued against curfew violators. So far, over 500 people have been booked under various sections.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and former union minister Swami Chinmayanand along with a large number of saints continued the hunger strike for the second consecutive day at the Gorakhnath temple to protest Mr Yogi's arrest.

''I would continue the hunger strike till all allegations against Mr Yogi are taken back,'' the BJP leader said.

Miscreants had opened fire at a 'baraat' procession on January 26, in which over 24 people were wounded in Ismailpur under Kotwali police station area.

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.

UNI