By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: The violence related to Kanwariyas route on Sunday once again erupted in Moradabad on Tuesday night. Situation turned worse with exception of Civil Lines police station, the whole city was engulfed in violence. With situation far from normal, district administration announced curfew in six police circles. The areas include Katghar, Galshaheed, Majhola, Kotwali, Nagfani and Mughalpura. In the violence, which included firing, stone pelting more than two dozens people including the city Kotwali Inspector Suneet Kumar were injured.
The violence reoccurred after a meeting of Sarvdaliya Hindu Sangthan at Shiv Mandir of Dus Sarai- Shivpuri on Tuesday morning. The mob after the meeting spilled on the road. Some youths of the mob turned violent and started stone pelting. Some vehicles were also torched by the youths leading to tension in the area. However, situation did not turn worse till night.
As darkness descended both the sides once again came face to face and confronted each other. At around 10 pm, a group of youths raising inflammatory slogans, emerged from Dus Sarai locality and came on road. The youths targeted a mosque in Karula-Karbala locality and stoned it. After sometime, the other side also retaliated with stone pelting. Some gun shots were also heard in the violence. Two youths Bobby and Amit, came in the range of violence and received grievous injuries.
Meanwhile after some time, in another locality at Eidgah road, some persons torched a bike and some shops. Stone pelting and violence was also reported from Jayantipur where shops were gutted. There were reports that a mosque has also been damaged in the violence in Jayantipur.
Soon the whole city was engulfed in violence during night. Areas like Galshaheed, Bhuda Chauraha, Katghar, Choti Subzi Mandi were affected with mob taking to road in a free for all situation. Half of the city was surrounded by flames. In the violence, Shaher Kotwal, Inspector Suneet Kumar also received injuries. There are reports that more than two dozen people have been injured.
With situation going out of hands, ADM City Avneesh Sharma declared that curfew has been clamped in six police circles from midnight. With sporadic incidents still being reported, police, PAC and paramilitary force RAF has been pressed to control the violence.