LUCKNOW, 17 October 2005 — Red alert was sounded in eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh as communal tension continued in curfew bound areas of Mau town for the fifth consecutive day yesterday. Despite there being shoot at sight orders, fresh clashes took place in Dev Parva locality.
Rival groups exchanged fire and set shops on fire compelling authorities to rush additional force, sources said. Two more persons were killed in this communal flare-up, raising the toll in the town to seven.
Rioters burned down a school and a branch of Oriental bank on Saturday night. Property worth millions has been either looted or destroyed in the communal violence.
Failure to control communal violence in the sensitive town led to the suspension of five top officials last night. The officers placed under suspension are Divisional Commissioner D.D. Singh, DIG Prabhat Kumar, District Magistrate Heera Mani Singh Yadav, SSP Akhilesh Kumar Mishra and the officer in-charge of Kotwali police B.L. Paswan. Mukesh Meshram and Sujit Pandey have been appointed new DM and SSP, respectively.
Communal tension erupted in Mau on Thursday between Hindus and Muslims, over objection of the latter to Hindus’ plan of holding Dussehra festivities at Shahi Katra grounds. Describing Mau violence as deliberately “manufactured” by Hindu extremists, several Muslim leaders have blamed them for making inflammatory, communal speeches over the past few days.
