The Hindu : Front Page : Agra placed under curfew

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 30, 2007
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Front Page

Agra placed under curfew

Special Correspondent

Road accident triggers clashes

One person
was later killed
in police firing
Schools, colleges in Agra closed till further orders

LUCKNOW: An indefinite curfew was clamped in six police station areas of Agra following mob violence and arson, triggered by the death of four youths when a truck hit them on Mahatma Gandhi road early on Wednesday. The youths were returning from the graveyard after offering prayers on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat when they were crushed by the speeding truck.

All schools and colleges in Agra have been closed till further orders.

One was person was later killed in police firing; the violence and arson left at least 60 persons injured, mostly policemen. Nine persons, including four fire brigade personnel, were seriously injured in stone pelting. Some anti-social elements tried to infuse a communal colour to the violence but the presence of heavy police force and the Rapid Action Force from the neighbouring Aligarh, Firozabad, Hathras, Mainpuri and Etah districts prevented the situation from deteriorating further.

Principal Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Home Department J.N. Chamber told newspersons here that the curfew was clamped in the Tajganj, Sadar, Nai Ki Mandi, Loha Mandi, Rakabganj and Mantola police station areas. Describing the situation in Agra as tense but under control, Mr. Chamber said the government had ordered an inquiry into the incident. The probe would be conducted by the Agra Division Commissioner, S.R. Meena, and the inquiry would be completed within a fortnight, the official said.

Regarding the impact of the violence on the tourist traffic in Agra, Mr. Chamber said that though the Tajganj police station area, which houses the Taj Mahal, was placed under curfew, around 800 tourists visited the Taj from the Eastern Gate of the monument on Wednesday. The government had directed the Agra district administration to facilitate the foreign and domestic tourists on their return journey from Agra. Similar arrangements had been made for the tourists visiting Fatehpur Sikri.

The State Home official denied that the Government had asked the tourists not to visit Agra till normality was restored.

One person, identified as Anwar, was later killed in police firing. Over a dozen persons were arrested. The Principal Home Secretary admitted that traffic regulations had been flouted by the traffic personnel who allowed trucks to pass in spite of the district administration’s orders prohibiting the movement of heavy vehicles till 7 a.m. on Wednesday. He said action would be taken against the guilty officials.

Ex gratia sanctioned

The State Government has sanctioned an ex gratia of Rs. 1 lakh for next of kin of the five deceased.

Uttar Pradesh Governor T.V. Rajeswar has appealed to the people of the State, especially of Agra, to maintain peace and harmony. Describing the incident as painful, Mr. Rajeswar said in a message these events should not cloud the cordial atmosphere.

BJP team for Agra

New Delhi Special Correspondent reports:

A BJP team, headed by general secretary Vinay Katiyar, left for Agra to make an assessment of the violence. Party president Rajnath Singh set up the team that has Kishan Singh Sangwan and Subash Maharia as members. It will submit a report to Mr. Singh.

Seperately, BJP Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha V.K. Malhotra said the party wanted to know what happened to its privilege notice against India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Ronen Sen, whose “interview” to a newspaper on the nuclear agreement annoyed MPs.

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