Jabalpur: Curfew was imposed in six areas and prohibitory orders clamped across the city as tension erupted between two communities following damage to posters and a gate put up for a Jain festival.

As a precautionary measure, curfew was imposed in six localities of Kotwali, Lordganj, Omti, Belbagh, Hanumantal and Gohalpur late on Friday night to avert any untoward incident, District Collector Sanjay Dubey said.

Prohibitory orders

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 were also imposed as the curfew-bound areas, where shops and business centres remained closed, were barricaded, he said. Rapid Action Force (RAF), Special Armed Force and Homeguards personnel were deployed in strength, while a case was registered against unknown persons but no arrest has been made so far, police sources said.

Tension

Tension gripped the city after tearing of posters and damage to a decorated gate put up for `Gajrath Mahotsava' being observed by the Jain community in Bada Fuwara area on the intervening night of January 25-26, they said.

Charge

Trouble deepened as Jain community accused Muslims of committing the act ahead of the Moharram procession slated to pass through the route, they said. Members of Jain community, including MLA Sharad Jain and former State Minister Anchal Sonkar, staged a dharna while Muslims held a meeting at the local Mufti's house.

As efforts by the administration to resolve the situation failed, curfew was clamped and prohibitory orders were imposed in the city where the situation was tense but under control, the sources added. — PTI

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