Curfew relaxed in Malegaon

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, OCT. 30. Police today relaxed the indefinite curfew for 90 minutes after five days in the riots-hit Malegaon town of Maharashtra, to enable people to buy essentials.

The town, which had been witnessing violence and arson since last Friday, remained peaceful. The authorities deployed four more columns of the Army before relaxing the curfew.

Curfew was also relaxed in the neighbouring villages of Daregaon, Soygaon, Dhyane, Devla, Antapur and Malde in Nashik district where the trouble had spread last Sunday. So far, 12 persons have lost their lives, nine in police firing and three in stabbing incidents. About 15 others have been seriously injured.

Police have arrested 250 persons for the arson and rioting. The Additional Director-General of Police, Mr. O.P. Bali, and the Nashik District Collector, Mr. Kishor Gajibhiye, have been camping in Malegaon.

A general strike was observed in Devla town on Monday in which one shop and several vehicles were set ablaze. Two platoons of the State Reserve Police are patrolling the areas.

An all-party meeting held at Devla condemned the role played by the former Leader of the Opposition and now Maharashtra president of the Janata Dal(S), Mr. Nihal Ahmed, in ``fanning the fire'' in Malegaon. His effigy was burnt.

Trouble had started in Malegaon last Friday after police tried to prevent a mob from distributing pamphlets calling for the boycott of the American and British goods.

Mr. Ahmed, who is now a member of the ruling Democratic Front's coordination committee, was defeated in the last Assembly elections by Mr. Shaikh Rasheed of the Congress. The rivalry between the two leaders is alleged to be behind the trouble that sparked the violence.

The BJP vice-president and party leader in the State, Mr. Gopinath Munde, alleged that days before the trouble, Mr. Ahmed had organised an anti-U.S. rally in Malegaon but the Government had ignored his ``provocative action''.

But Mr. Ahmed accused the followers of Mr. Rasheed of fomenting the trouble.

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Section  : National
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