Peace returns to Agra; curfew lifted from more areas

Agra, Sep 1 (UNI) As situation in the Taj city is limping back to normal, curfew, which was clamped after violence over the death of four youth in a road accident on Wednesday, was lifted from two more station areas today.

Curfew, imposed in six areas of the district, has been lifted from Rakabganj and Lohamandi, while it was lifted from Tajganj and Sadarganj earlier when peace was restored in the area, senior Superintendent of Police Hariram Sharma said.

Curfew has been relaxed for six hours each from 1200 to 1800 hrs and 0600 to 1200 hrs in Mantola and Nai Ki Mandi areas respectively.

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 in connection with Shab-e-baraat, were crushed to death by a speeding truck near Subhash Chowk area on Mahatma Gandhi Road.

Police had to clamp curfew on 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.

The state government had also suspended 14 police personnel, including Agra ASP Rahul Yadvendra Singh.

At least 10 people had been arrested for spreading violence and 31 for disrupting peace.

UNI