In Uttar Pradesh, Army was called in Muzaffarnagar district last night after violence claimed several lives. Army columns have also been deployed at Shamli and Meerut districts to control the situation. Army was called at Muzaffar Nagar district last night to control the violence. A total of nine Army columns have been deployed in the three districts and they have also conducted a mounted Flag March in the affected areas.
An army spokesperson told AIR Allahabad Correspondent that requests for requisitioning Army assistance were received today from Shamli and Meerut district administration.
AIR Correspondent reports that Army officers had a meeting with the senior officials of the state police and the civil administration and immediately after the meeting, the Army columns were located in various sensitive areas of the affected districts. Shoot and sight order has been issued for the persons involved in violence. Curfew in Civil Lines, Kotwali and Nai Mandi police areas is continuing in Muzaffarnagar and security has been intensified across the district with the deployment of 40 companies of PAF, ITBP, BSF and PAC.
Meanwhile, the death toll in violence related incidents has climbed to 17. The district administration has indicated that extension of curfew to more rural police areas is under consideration if situation fails to improve as there were reports of clashes in villages also. A high alert has also been issued across the state.
According to reports, violence broke out in the district on Saturday after a mahapanchayat was organized by members of a community in Naglabadhod village. Thousands of people assembled at the venue, demanding withdrawal of cases registered in connection with August 27 Kawal violence. They also demanded 25 lakhs rupees as compensation amount for two out of three people who lost their lives in Kawal. When the people were going back from the mahapanchayat, they were attacked by the members of other community, leading to heavy brick-batting which left several injured. As the news of attack spread to other parts of the district, people from both the communities came out on the streets and clashed with each other, setting afire houses, shops and vehicles.
AIR Correspondent reports that two days earlier, DG police of the state, Devraj Nagar had visited the district to take stock of the situation. ADG and IG, Law and Order, and IG, Meerut Zone, have been asked to camp at Muzaffarnagar to look after the law and order situation in the district.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal President and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has demanded from the Centre to immediately impose President’s rule in Uttar Pradesh. He has alleged that the state government has completely failed in maintaining law and order. He has appealed to the people to maintain calm and not to get instigated by the rumours that are being spread by nefarious elements and continue the age-old tradition of living in peace and harmony.
