Bangalore, Jan 22
A day after police firing sparked by communal clashes left one
person dead and several injured, tension simmered in Bangalore
Monday. But authorities said they were confident peace would return
soon.
A 12-year-old boy was killed and at least 22 people were injured
when the police opened fire to chase away mobs that attacked them
and also vandalized private and public property in the
residential-cum-commercial areas of the city's eastern districts.
Curfew was clamped in many parts of east Bangalore including Bharati
Nagar, Frazer town and Commercial Street.
"There is a lot of fear among people and no one wants to risk their
life as there has been a lot of violence in the city since Friday,"
said Sangmesh, a steward at the Eden Park restaurant.
The violent clashes started Friday after people protested violently
against the hanging of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein in
communally sensitive areas with a large Muslim population.
On Sunday, several shops and buses were also set ablaze in the
clashes. A Virat Hindu Samavesha, organised by the ruling Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) in association with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad,
was being held in one of the violence-hit areas.
"I have not seen such violence in the last six-seven years and I
have asked my kids to not to venture out of home till Wednesday. Who
knows what is going to happen this afternoon," Sangmesh told IANS.
He added that there was at least a 40 percent drop in their business
Sunday.
Said Abdul, a newspaper vendor on Infantry Road: "This kind of
violence has never been witnessed in the last 10 years. Some
violence and a curfew was seen here when Kannada actor Raj Kumar was
kidnapped by forest brigand Veerappan a few years back.
"Though there is a lot of fear I have to earn money and livelihood.
As soon as the curfew was lifted in the morning I came to sell
papers again despite all the violence ...life goes on," Abdul added.
Anil, a manager of Hotel Gold Star at Queens Road, said he had asked
the waiters and office boys not to venture near towards Bharati
Nagar, Shivaji Nagar and Russel market. "These are the most
sensitive and violence prone areas. We are learning to cope with the
violence with a lot of apprehension among our guests, people and all
our staff," he said.
At least 1,000 policemen have been deployed in these violence-prone
areas and two platoons of the Rapid Action Force, along with the
police, will conduct a flag march in the city to instil confidence
in the people. All schools in the violence-hit areas will remain
shut till Tuesday.
Said Bangalore Police Commissioner N. Achuta Rao: "The situation is
under control and we are trying our best to bring peace to the city
after three days of violence. There was a lot of violence Sunday as
mobs torched buses, stabbed each other, pelted stones at vehicles
despite all our efforts. They forced us to open fire and one person
was killed."
(c) Boloji.com :
1999–2008 : All
Rights Reserved Boloji.com is owned and managed by Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer
No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
