Maneka Gandhi stopped from entering riot-hit Bareilly

Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), Mar 14 (ANI): Noted animal-rights activist and Aonla MP Maneka Gandhi, who is heading the three member panel appointed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to monitor the situation in riot-hit Bareilly was on Sunday not allowed to enter the city.

Sources said police personnel stopped Gandhi near Ghaziabad, while enroute to Bareilly.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nitin Gadkari had sent a three-member team to riot-hit Bareilly to take note of the prevailing situation.

Bareilly has been tense for several days following the release of a cleric, who was arrested on charges of inciting clashes.

Mobs torched about 20 shops in the old Bareilly area on Saturday though curfew was in force in most parts of the city affected by communal violence. The authorities have rushed additional forces to the city.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions there, and provided the police with a helicopter to monitor trouble-hit areas.Uttar Pradesh Police had last Monday (March 8) taken into its custody Maulana Khan, the leader of Ittehad-e-Millat Conference. He was later released on Thursday (March 11) evening.

The right-wing Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal criticising his release soon turned into action following which there was a violent backlash and curfew was imposed in the areas of the city. (ANI)