Tension prevailed in the western Uttar Pradesh town of Kashganj even as the administration organised a meeting of the district peace committee this morning in a bid to restore normalcy, officials said.
Following the meeting, it was decided that shops and commercial establishments in the area would be opened, they said. PAC and RAF took out flag marches across the town to ensure peace on Sunday.
Additionally, the police have arrested a total of 80 accused in the riots. The suspect, who allegedly killed the 16-year-old boy triggering the riots, is still missing. But the police says that a pistol and country-made weapon have been confiscated from his house.
At least three shops, two private buses and a car were torched here yesterday, after a young boy was killed in clashes following stone-pelting by a mob on a motorcycle rally taken out to celebrate the Republic Day.
“At the meeting of the peace committee, whose members include prominent citizens of the district, it was decided that the shopkeepers will open their shops and commercial establishments. There is no atmosphere of fear in the city. There have been sporadic incidents, which people of the city feel have brought shame to the place,” ADG Agra, Ajay Anand, said.
He stressed that those involved in violence will not be spared.
Divisional Commissioner, Aligarh, Subhash Chandra Sharma, said the peace committee meeting was held at the nagar panchayat office.
People put forward their points of view and concerns about the prevailing situation and the administration assured all possible help, Sharma said. Those attending the meeting were told to keep an eye on the situation and not let it deteriorate, he added.
Sharma said shops selling tea, snacks, vegetables, milk and medicine were already allowed to remain open and normalcy would when others start opening their shops. “The administration is acting tough on those who had indulged in the violence, based on the video evidence,” Sharma said.
Earlier, internet services were suspended in the trouble-torn area to prevent rumours spreading on the social media in the western UP area, where a curfew was imposed after clashes yesterday, they said.
