While trouble torn Kasganj was limping back to normalcy, fresh incidents of arson flared up the situation as an incensed mob, returning from cremation of the clash victim Chandan Gupta, set five private buses and three shops on fire besides vandalising a mosque on Saturday.
Chandan had lost his life in firing and over a dozen others had sustained injuries during communal clashes which erupted in Kasganj during a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ carried out by motorcycle-borne local youths of ABVP who were attacked while passing through a muslim dominated locality on Friday.
While CM Yogi Adityanath called an emergency meeting of top home and police officials including Principal Secretary, Home, Arvind Kumar and ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar on Saturday evening, state home department sought a detailed report from Kasganj administration over the clashes.
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Moreover, IG DK Thakur, attached to DGP headquarters, was rushed to troubled city with additional force from state capital to help district administration contain the violence.
Meanwhile, sealing district boundaries, Kasganj police arrested 49 persons out of whom 10 were held on murder and other charges on Saturday as they were named in two FIRs lodged under various Sections if IPC. 39 others were taken into custody for creating trouble continuing since Friday.
“One FIR was lodged by inspector Ripudaman Singh, SHO of Kotwali, against six person named under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 307, 336, 436, 295, 427, 323, 504 and 7 CLA Act. Another FIR was lodged by Sunil Gupta, father of deceased Chandan Gupta against 20 persons, including three named under Sections 147, 148, 149, 341, 336, 307, 302, 504, 506, 124A of IPC and 3 National Flag Act,” Ajay Bhadoria, public relation officer of Kasganj police said.
However, the tense situation prompted authorities to shut school and colleges in the area as a precautionary measure. Companies of RAF, PAC, CRPF flag marched the city, police force from adjoining districts was called in and deployed across the city forcing to avert recurrence of trouble.
Though a curfew like situation prevailed, some persons with petrol bottles were spotted near Ghantaghar and Nadrai gate area, said local sources.
Meanwhile, senior officials, including ADG Agra Ajay Anand, IG (Aligarh Zone) Dr Sanjeev Gupta, Agra Divisional Commissioner Subhash Sharma, SSP, Etah along with Kasganj DM RP Singh and SP SK Singh, were out in the field to control the situation.
Meanwhile, a rush of politicians and the statements given by them on spot in the trouble town added to the crisis. Besides others, BJP MP Rajveer Singh, who attended Chandan Gupta’s cremation, claimed to have persuaded the victim’s family for cremate the body after making them talk to the CM who assured the bereaved family a relief of Rs 5 lakh.