Peace is slowly returning to Agra, but the frenzied rounds of arson and violence have exposed the UP government’s high-sounding claims on law and order.
LUCKNOW: Peace is slowly returning to Agra and Allahabad, but the frenzied rounds of arson and violence have exposed the UP government’s high-sounding claims on law and order apart from exposing the deadly cocktail of religion and politics.
Curfew was imposed in Allahabad’s old city area on Saturday after violence over the desecration of a holy book late on Friday night.
Just two days earlier, a man was killed and over 50, including several policemen, were injured in a spate of violence triggered by the death of four persons belonging to the same community in a road accident.
While the incident itself was not pre-meditated, the violence that ensued was led by local BSP MLA Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Police turned spectators as the mob led by the ruling party legislator torched shops and vehicles, and damaged public property. No FIR has been registered yet.
Allahabad SSP Dipesh Juneja told DNA the situation was now under control. Five companies of Rapid Action Force and additional security personnel from neighbouring districts had been deployed to deal with the situation, he said.
In Allahabad, the violence erupted in the western part of the city, which has of late witnessed intense political rivalry between the Samajwadi Party and BSP.
The area has been a pocket-borough of SP MP and mafia don Atiq Ahmed. In the ensuing bypoll, his brother Ashraf lost to BSP’s Raju Pal. Pal was shot dead in January 2005 and Ashraf won the seat in the bypoll. Pal’s wife Puja, however, won back the seat from Ashraf in the assembly election earlier this year.
A police official said things had changed drastically for Atiq after the BSP came to power in UP. The SP MP is absconding, and even his supporters were missing when his house and belongings were being attacked.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}