India: Western UP town under curfew after rioting

Tension has again gripped the western Uttar Pradesh city of Bareilly, which witnessed riots last week that left hundreds of shops gutted and scores injured. After a brief respite, the city has been under curfew again for the last four days.

Things almost reached a flashpoint on Wednesday night when an estimated 10,000-1,5000 strong crowd gathered in the heart of the city. They had come to listen to a speech by Sunni cleric Subhan Raza Khan (popularly known as Subhani Miyan), the head of the famous Ala Hazrat dargah (also known as Khankahe Niyaziya mosque). People from many localities in old city were implored via loudspeakers to come out on the streets and protest against the detention of a local Muslim leader Tauqir Raza Khan.

Tauqir, son-in-law of Subhani Miyan and national president of the powerful Muslim organization Itihad-e-Millat Council (IMC) was arrested from IMC office by police on March 8 in connection with the rioting. A curfew has been on many areas of the city since then.

Many sections of the IPC such as inciting people and plotting riots were slapped on him. Police has been hunting for one of his associates known as Dr Nafees for inciting people, who has gone underground.

In a damage-control exercise, Chief Minister Mayawati changed the local administration top brass, including the district magistrate, the DIG and the SSP. The DM, Ashish Kumar Goyal, was sent packing.

Despite this, matters worsened when a large number of members of one community came out on the streets. Once they started shouting religious slogans over loudspeakers, members of the other community also came out in large numbers on the other side of the two streets. Tension has been simmering in the city since communal riots took place on March 2 following clashes over a religious procession.

- Asian Tribune -