Aligarh, Feb 25 (IANS) An uneasy calm has prevailed in Aligarh following the clashes and arson that took place in the town two days ago.
Agra Zone Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Ajay Anand said that no fresh incident of violence have been reported and the situation was returning to normal.
Though a number of shops remained shut on Monday, the district officials have persuaded owners to open their shops on Tuesday.
On Sunday, over a dozen people had to be hospitalized following incidents of stone pelting between groups of protesters and clashes with police.
Two policemen were among those injured.
The ADGP said Mohamad Tariq Munawwar ,22, who suffered gunshot injuries on Sunday, was now stable after emergency surgery and has been shifted to the ICU at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital’s trauma centre.
“If necessary, we will shift him to AIIMS, New Delhi. Currently, doctors are satisfied with his progress,” he said.
He further said the police were in the process of identifying those involved in Sunday’s violence.
“We are also initiating confidence-building measures with the help of community leaders to restore normalcy in all affected areas,” he added.
District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh warned that any attempt to spread rumours would be dealt with strongly and the stringent National Security Act invoked. Internet services that were suspended on Sunday were yet to be restored in some areas.
Trouble began on Sunday evening in the Upper Kot locality when police tried to remove women squatting on the Mohamed Ali Road near the Kotwali police station in an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest.
Some people protested, leading to a scuffle and within minutes, stone-pelting started from neighbouring areas.
Police lobbed tear gas shells and used rubber bullets to contain the violence.
However, the violence spilled over to the neighbouring localities, including Babri Mandi, where members of the two communities pelted stones at each other and shots were fired.
Meanwhile, police in Aligarh on Monday registered eight FIRs against more than 350 persons in connection with the arson.
Aligarh Senior Superintendent of Police Muniraj G, said FIRs have been registered under various sections of the IPC including section 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion), 307 (attempt to murder) at the Kotwali police station.
He said about 100 people have been identified and 40 of them were named in the FIRs.
–IANS
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