Situation in Kasganj continued to be tense after fresh violence erupted on the second day on Saturday with mob torching commercial establishments along with vehicles. The agitated mob also ransacked several shops before heavy police force along with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) reached the spot and chased away the miscreants.
Interestingly, despite of the violence continued and Rs undeclared curfew’ in the area, the officials claimed that the situation was under control. To maintain peace in the district, state police directorate had already dispatched five additional companies of reserve force including Central Para Military Force to assist the local police.
Senior officers including ADG (Zone) Agra, Ajay Anand, IGs of Agra and Aligarh ranges, and other senior officers were camping at the spot. To defuse the tension, DGP office also dispatched IG, DK Thakur, to the spot. Reports confirmed that soon after the cremation of the victim on Saturday, the supporters and other residents, who were demanding Rs martyr’ status for the victim, went on rampage torching half a dozen vehicles including two buses and had also set ablaze shops and business establishments belonging to other community in Ghantaghar Market and adjoining area. later before the violence spread in the district, senior officers rushed with heavy police force and chased away the trouble makers.
local officers claimed that a total of 9 people including 6 for arson and 3 for the murder of a youth have been arrested so far. Two cases have been registered in the incident, one against four named and several others under section 147,148, 149,307,336,436,295,427,323 and 504 of the IPC for violence while another case was registered by Sushil Kumar Gupta, father of the deceased Chandan Gupta against twenty people including four named. The sections filed in the murder of the youth are 147,148,341,336,307,302, 504 and 506 of the IPC.
State deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said here that people involved in the violence would not be spared. He said the situation was under control and nine people have been arrested so far.
On Friday, communal violence broke out on the Republic Day during the Rs 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. District Magistrate, RP Singh told media persons that the last rites were performed on the banks of the river Kali. The district authorities had announced an exgratia of Rs 5 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 Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Agra Zone)Ajay Anand said that the situation was under control while additional police force has been rushed to Kasganj. “We have rounded up several people who were behind the violence while peace committees are holding meetings with both the communities to instill peace in the area,” he said. All the schools and other educational institutions have been closed till Sunday.