Curfew relaxed, peace restored in Allahabad

Allahabad/Agra, Sept 2: Curfew has been relaxed for few hours in Allahabad and Agra as the situation returned back to normal and peace restored in these districts.

The Curfew, which was clamped in Taj city following violence over the death of four youths, has been relaxed for 12 hours in Mantola and Nai ki Mandi today.

Similarly, curfew has been lifted up for two hours from Atarsuia and Dhoomanganj area of Allahabad after noticing improvement in the situation.

At Agra, curfew, imposed in six areas of the district, has been pulled up from Rakabganj, Lohamandi, Tajganj and Sadarganj after peace restored in the area.

Meanwhile, curfew has been relaxed for 12 hours each from 0600 hrs to 1800 hrs in Mantola and Nai Ki Mandi areas.

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

Similarly, curfew was imposed in five police station areas of Allahabad, following violence that had engulfed the district after rumour gripped Kaladanda area that some pages of a holy book were being set ablaze.

Thousands of people had come on streets following which curfew had been imposed in Kareli, Atarsuia, Shahganj, Khuldabad, Kotwali and Rajroop police outpost of the Dhoomanganj police station.

Several police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, were grievously wounded in the protest, in which two police vehicles were also torched.

The mob had gheraoed the Kareli police station and raised slogans. Three youth were injured after police opened fire and lobbed tear gas shells.

At least 14 people had been arrested for their involvement in violence in Allahabad, whereas 10 people had been arrested for spreading violence and 31 for disrupting peace in Agra.

UNI