Karauli: In Rajasthan’s Karauli, a curfew was imposed and the internet was shut down following communal riots that erupted Saturday evening following stone-pelting during a religious parade to mark the Hindu New Year.
Around 42 people were reportedly injured when stones were pelted at a motorcycle rally passing through a Muslim-dominated area to mark Nav Samvatsar, spawning violence that saw shops and vehicles being set on fire. So far, 30 people have been detained Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Hawa Singh Ghumariya told PTI.
The majority of individuals injured in the clash were treated for minor injuries and released after getting first treatment, while ten were taken to a local hospital. One individual was referred to the SMS hospital in Jaipur, whose condition was described as critical.
Curfew has been imposed in Karauli, around 170 kilometres from the capital Jaipur, due to communal tensions. Internet access will be unavailable in the district until midnight on April 3rd.
Moreover, 600 policemen, including 50 officers of the ranks of deputy superintendent of police and inspector, have been deployed in Karauli.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has directed the police to nab the perpetrators at the earliest and take strict action against them.
“Some miscreants happen to be there…they can be in any religion and anywhere and they should be avoided because they are not harmed, common man is harmed. They are not hurt, common man is hurt,” Gehlot was quoted as saying by PTI.
BJP state president Satish Poonia, on the other hand, claimed the attack on the bike protest was “planned” and blamed the incident on the Congress government’s “appeasement” policy.
“The appeasement strategy of the Congress government is to blame.” So far, no arrests have been made. “It was a premeditated attack on a bike rally held on Hindu New Year,” Poonia claimed.
Following the incident, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra spoke with DGP ML Lather over the violence that erupted in Karauli. The Rajasthan Governor has appealed to the people to maintain peace in the state.
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