By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Patna: Complete peace has eluded Bareilly for past several months with sporadic incidents of communal violence occurring, leaving behind injured people and damaged properties. The latest one took place on 16th August. The role of police in controlling the violence and restoring peace is again questionable.
On Monday evening a fresh communal clash erupted in Fareedpur area on the outskirts of the Bareilly city in Uttar Pradesh when members of two communities pelted stone at each other. Four persons were injured in the clash. Media reports said the clash began with torching of a vehicle of kanwariyas by some unidentified people (but assumed members of minority community). However, the locals narrate a different story.
Talking to TCN from Bareilly this evening Amir Hussain, a resident of Bareilly town said a group of kanwariyas was singing and dancing in front of a mosque in Fareedpur while Travih prayers were on. The police were there but they remained mute spectator and did nothing to stop the kanwariyas. When the namazis objected, some bullets were fired from the side of the group of Kanwariyas and this led to clashes.
Moreover, as happens normally after each communal clash, members of minority community were arrested in good number. The police arrested 36 people in connection with the violence –as many as 21 of them are from the minority community.
Meanwhile, the situation in the violence-hit area has returned to normal with schools and markets opened today. Soon after the clash curfew was imposed in Fareedpur and Fatehganj areas of Bareilly.