Curfew to be relaxed in Faizabad today

After four days of near peace, the district administration of Faizabad announced that the ongoing curfew in the district, which had witnessed communal clashes Wednesday, would be relaxed for four hours between 10 am to 2 pm Monday.

The decision was taken by the state government after a "review by intelligence agencies".

Violent communal clashes occurred here Wednesday, as differences cropped up over the route to be taken by processions for the immersion of idols of goddess Durga at the end of Durga Puja.

Senior police officials told IANS that the decision to relax curfew had been taken in view of the problems being faced by the residents, who needed to stock vegetables and other necessary food items.

There is a huge paucity of kerosene and vegetable supply, officials admitted.

Schools, colleges and educational institutions, however, will continue to be closed as long as curfew continues.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Faizabad Ramit Sharma told IANS that 49 persons have been booked so far.

"We are looking for more trouble makers who were behind the clashes last week, and will soon arrest them," he said.

Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Law & Order Jag Mohan Yadav, who has been camping in the violence-hit city since last week, said the perpetrators of the violence and those who fanned communal tension would be booked under the National Security Act (NSA).

Meanwhile the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) has alleged that there was a nefarious design behind the string of communal riots in the state.

"Ever since the SP government has been voted to power, several conspiracies are being hatched to defame the government," Rajendra Chowdhary, state spokesman of the SP, said. SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said that police was doing its job and very soon "the people behind the communal riots would be unmasked."