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Indefinite curfew in Gorakhpur areas

Special Correspondent

One killed, several reportedly injured in a group clash

LUCKNOW: One person was killed and half-a-dozen injured in a group clash in Gorakhpur town of Uttar Pradesh on Friday night. An indefinite curfew has been imposed in three police station areas of Tiwaripur, Rajghat and Kotwali. The situation was described on Saturday as tense but under control.

According to a spokesman of the State Police Headquarters here, the incident was sparked off by a dispute over payment to an orchestra party engaged to perform at a wedding reception. What started off as a financial dispute allegedly degenerated into a communal clash.

The police spokesman said the marriage reception of one Neeraj Tewari was held at DAV Degree College under the Kotwali police station area on Wednesday night. After the orchestra party finished its performance, the leader of the group asked for payment, which was refused by the hosts on the ground that the amount quoted was much higher. This led to an altercation between the two. The orchestra leader was allegedly thrashed by some inebriated young men who later gave him a hot chase. The spokesman added that the man fearing for his life sought refuge in a Moharram procession passing from nearby. The members of the procession objected to those who were chasing the orchestra leader.

The spokesman said that violence broke out soon with the groups indulging in heavy brick-batting. One person, identified as Raj Kumar Agrahari, was killed in an exchange of fire between the two groups, while several others sustained injuries on account of stone throwing. Arrival of the police brought the situation under control.

Considering the communally sensitive nature of Gorakhpur, curfew was imposed in the Tiwaripur, Kotwali and Rajghat police station areas. Over a dozen persons were later rounded up by the police. With the 10th of Moharram falling on January 30, heavy police force has been deployed in the curfew-bound and other sensitive pockets of the town.

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Indefinite curfew in Gorakhpur areas

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