New Delhi: Curfew was extended till Sunday, April 10, in violence-hit Karauli of Rajasthan. The step was taken on Thursday, April 7, as a precautionary measure.
However, from Friday, the curfew will be relaxed by three hours, news agency PTI reported.
Incidents of arson and vandalism occurred on April 2 in the wake of stone-pelting at a bike rally on Nav Samvatsar (Hindu New Year), following which the curfew was imposed.
The bike rally, which was passing through a Muslim-dominated area, was taken out by right-wing organisations, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bajrang Dal.
According to a PTI report, around 35 people were injured in the ensuing violence.
The Congress has said that the violence is an attempt to polarise people. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called the violence “a planned conspiracy”.
On Thursday, a seven-member delegation of the BJP submitted its report to the state president Satish Poonia and party’s state incharge Arun Singh, the PTI report said.
BJP MLA and deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Singh Rathir said that the police had done videography of the rally but did not act against prime accused Amimuddin and Matloob Khan even as they were part of the peace committee meeting after the violence.
Rathore added that people associated with organisations like the Popular Front of India (PFI) are involved in the incident.
“The administration promised that it will file a report against the miscreants. However, under the pressure of the Rajasthan government and Congress leaders, injustice is being done to the victims by the government and administration,” the report quoted Rathore as saying.
The Rajasthan Congress has formed a three-member fact finding committee, news agency ANI reported. Dr Jitendra Singh, MLA Rafiq Khan and Karauli district in-charge Lalit Yadav are part of the Congress investigation team.
According to the PTI report, Singh, Khan, and Lalit went to Karauli to discuss the situation with officials, and enquired about the incident from the local people.
Amid the curfew, the district administration made arrangements for students of classes 10 and 12 to appear for their examination by showing their admit cards to reach the examination centre, officials said, according to a PTI report.
As many as 46 people were arrested and seven detained for interrogation by the Rajasthan Police on April 2, after the incident.
On April 3, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held a meeting with senior officials regarding the law and order situation in the state following the incident.
The Chief Minister lashed out at the Centre for the violence and said that the Central Government should take responsibility.