On the third day of the communal clash which broke in Kasganj on January 26, the situation remained tense on Sunday barring the incident in which some anti-social elements torched an auto parts shop in the rugged Bakarner area on Sunday morning. Unconfirmed reports related to incident kept cops on their toes round the day on Sunday and they had a tough task on law and order front.
Five Companies of PAC and 2 RAF companies were rushed to the trouble torn area on Saturday in wake of deteriorating situation. Also additional civil police officers/policemen from the zone were sent to the place. Two cases have been registered in the incident, one against four named and several others under sections 147, 148, 149, 307, 336, 436, 295, 427, 323 and 504 of the IPC for violence, while another registered by Sushil Kumar Gupta, father of the deceased Chandan alias Abhishek Gupta against 20 people, including four named. The sections filed in the murder of the youth include 147, 148, 341, 336, 307, 302, 504 and 506 of the IPC.
More than 150 people, including some 100 preventive detention, has been made by the police so far, while district authorities have called for a peace committee meeting this noon to ask both the communities to maintain peace and harmony.
Additional Director General of Police (Agra) Ajay Anand told that a minor incident of torching a shop had occurred on early Sunday morning but it had been doused by fire brigade. He said that around 150 arrests have been made so far with over 100 a preventive one. He said that after the peace committee meeting, the eminent personal of both the community will go around the city to appeal for peace by both the communities.
On the other hand, SP Etah termed the incident of death of a youth, Rahul Upadhyay, who had suffered bullet injuries in the violence, as rumour saying the name of the victim was fictitious. “No person in such name exited and no such person had died. It was all whatsapps message,” the SP said categorically. He added that the situation was under control.
Meanwhile, due to the undeclared curfew-like situation since the Republic Day, people of the city remained hidden inside their house and even the busiest localities witnessed a deserted look. People complained of scarcity of essential items like shortage of milk, vegetables and other daily use items.
To prevent the rumours, the authorities suspended internet services in Kasganj district since last evening and it will continue till tonight. Also section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed in the district from the day the violence broke out.
On Saturday (the second day of the violence) two government buses were torched by anti-social elements, while a couple of shops were ransacked.
State Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar claimed that,” There was no such violence since yesterday. Only sporadic attempts of arson were reported in the outskirts.”
ADG Agra Zone, Commissioner Aligarh, IG Aligarh range have been camping there since Friday, IG level officer D K Thakur has reached there from lucknow and camping since Friday night.
Communal violence broke out on the Republic Day during the Tiranga Yatra, in which a youth was killed and several others were injured.
Amid tight security cover, the cremation of the deceased youth Chandan Gupta was performed on Saturday morning, in the presence of local BJP MP Rajveer Singh and other BJP leaders.
The last rites of Chandan were performed on the banks of the river Kali yesterday under tight security arrangements. The district authorities have announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh to the family of the deceased. On Friday night, the BJP MP sat on a ‘dharna’ demanding compensation for the deceased youth and when his demand was met, he joined the cremation.
On Friday, during the Tiranga Yatra brought out by ABVP and other Hindu organizations, some people attacked it near Bilram gate, in which the youth was killed in the gun shot. Several people were injured in stone pelting. According to eye-witnesses, the violence broke out when some youths opposed the Tiranga Yatra and raised ‘’pro-Pakistan’’ slogans.