Karauli communal clashes: Curfew continues, SIT formed

PTI, Apr 4, 2022, 8:43 AM IST

Jaipur: Curfew remained clamped in Rajasthan’s Karauli on Sunday, while more than a dozen people were arrested and an SIT was formed to probe the communal clashes that broke out in the district during a motorcycle rally taken out to celebrate the Hindu new year.

A total of 46 people have been arrested — 13 in connection with the violence and 33 for violating the curfew. Seven people are under detention for questioning and 21 vehicles have also been seized.

District Collector Rajendra Singh Shekhawat said a two-hour relaxation will be given from 8 am on Monday and essential services will be exempted from the curfew.

Incidents of arson and vandalism were reported on Saturday after stones were pelted at the rally when it was passing through a Muslim-dominated locality, according to police.

At least 35 people were injured in the clashes.

Mobile internet services remained suspended on Sunday and police said they were looking into videos of the violence that were shared on social media platforms.

In Jaipur, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who held a meeting at his residence to view the situation, directed that criminals be identified at every police station level and strict action taken against them to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.

Around 1,200 police personnel are deployed in Karauli to maintain law and order. The situation is under control, Shekhawat said.

A control room has also been set up. A total of 50 officers of the ranks of additional superintendent of police and deputy superintendent of police and more than five IPS officers are present at the district headquarters, the collector said.

Relaxation in curfew for the supply of essentials like vegetables and milk will be given from 8 am to 10 am on Monday, he added.

Central government and state government offices, courts and centres of the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education will remain open and essential services will be exempted from the curfew.

IG, Bharatpur Prashan Kumar Khamesra said police have registered a case in connection with Saturday’s incident, in which 13 people have been arrested. At the same time, 33 people have been arrested for violating the curfew.

DIG Rahul Prakash said a special investigation team (SIT), led by an additional superintendent of police, has been formed to probe the incidents.

The violence has sparked a fresh war of words between the ruling Congress in the state and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Gehlot alleged that an atmosphere of religious polarisation has been created in the country after the BJP-led NDA came to power at the Centre and blamed it for such incidents.

”The atmosphere that has been created in the country after the NDA came to power, I believe the prime minister himself should appeal to the countrymen that this polarisation in the name of religion and caste is not justified and is not in the interest of the country,” he told reporters in Barmer.

On the other hand, state BJP chief Satish Poonia, who has blamed the Congress’s politics of ”appeasement” for the situation, has formed a 10-member panel that will visit Karauli and hold talks with all sides.

Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore, BJP national secretary Alka Singh Gurjar, state general secretary Madan Dilawar and chief spokesperson and MLA Ramlal Sharma are among the members of the committee, according to a party spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Gehlot reviewed the situation with top officials in the state capital.

”The chief minister said the police should be proactive and take precautionary steps to maintain peace so that an incident like the one in Karauli does not occur elsewhere,” according to a release.

Gehlot also said steps should be taken for creating an atmosphere of peace among different communities with the help of community liaison groups (CLGs) and for promoting community policing.