Agra rewitnesses peace; curfew lifted

Agra, Aug 31: With the situation limping back to normal, curfew, which was clamped after violence over the death of four youth in a road mishap on Wednesday, has been lifted at a few places here.

Curfew, imposed in six areas of the district, had been lifted from Tajganj and Sadarganj in the last 24 hours, after peace returned in the area, senior superintendent of police Hariram Sharma said today.

Meanwhile, Lohmandi and Rakabganj had been relieved of day curfew. However, it would continue at night.

On August 29, violence had erupted when a mob torched 22 trucks and several shops after four youth, returning from a graveyard after performing rituals connected with Shab-e-baraat, were crushed to death by a speeding truck near Subhash Chowk area on Mahatma Gandhi Road.

The irate mob had also torched two fire engines, six cars and three scooters. As many as 26 vehicles, including 17 trucks, were torched, following the violence.

The rampaging mob had also set afire a shoe and a card board factory.

Police had to clamp curfew in Mantola, Nai Ki Mandi, Tajganj, Loha Mandi, Rakabganj and some portions of the Sadar police station areas after the mob tried to attack shops of a particular community.

Taking note of the situation, the state government had also suspended 14 police personnel, including Agra ASP Rahul Yadvendra Singh.

At least ten people had been arrested for spreading violence and 31 for disrupting peace.

UNI