Curfew relaxed for 2hrs in violence-hit Jodhpur
JAIPUR: The curfew imposed following communal violence in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur was lifted on Friday for two hours from 8 am to allow people to buy essential commodities on Friday. The use of vehicles was not permitted during the relaxation as a precautionary measure a day after police carried out a flag march in the city on Thursday to maintain peace in the violencehit areas.
Director general of police M L Lather said that they have arrested 211 people in connection with the violence and registered 22 cases.
The violence broke out on Monday night over religious flags ahead of the Eid celebrations in the city’s Jalori Gate. The situation was brought under control in the early hours on Tuesday with heavy deployment of the police. But tensions escalated in the morning and prompted the authorities to suspend the internet services and impose the curfew.A series of communal clashes have been reported in Rajasthan over the last month.
“The curfew imposed in Jodhpur Commissionerate area on May 3 has been extended till May 6...Raikabagh Palace Bus Stand and Raikabagh Railway Station have been excluded from the curfew,” read the order issued by the district police commissioner.Previously, CM Ashok Gehlot had accused the BJP of instigating riots on the “orders of its high command”. Gehlot said they are trying to defame the Congress party’s government in the state as they are “unable to digest peace”. State BJP president Satish Poonia had alleged that communal incidents are taking place “under the patronage of the state government.”