Curfew was imposed in Rajasthan’s Karauli on Sunday after communal tensions broke out following stone pelting at a motorcycle rally taken out to celebrate the Hindu new year on Saturday, leaving around 35 people injured. The stone-pelting on the rally, when it passed through a Muslim-dominated area, was followed by arson of shops and vehicles.
The curfew remained in force on Sunday even as police said the situation was under control. ADG, Law and Order, Hawa Singh Ghumaria said 36 people have been detained so far. Police on Sunday said said mobile internet remained suspended to check spread of rumours in Karauli, which is 170 km from state capital Jaipur.
The rally to mark Nav Samvatsar was passing through a Muslim-dominated area when some people pelted stones. The violence escalated and a few shops and a bike were burnt. Several others were damaged, the police said.
Of the 35 injured, nine of them have been admitted to the Karauli district hospital and one to Jaipur’s SMS hospital. The rest were discharged after primary treatment on Saturday night. Police said a team is conducting assessment of the damage to property.
Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had spoken to Director General of Police (DGP) M L Lather and appealed to the public to maintain peace.
Officials said 600 policemen, including 50 officers of the ranks of deputy superintendent of police and inspector, have been deployed and four IPS officers have been sent from Jaipur to Karauli.
Gehlot had directed the DGP to take strict action against the culprits. Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and all other communities need to contribute and play their constructive role in building an environment of peace and development in the state, he had said.
BJP state president Satish Poonia had held the Congress government responsible for the incident. “Congress government’s appeasement policy is responsible for it. No arrest has been made so far. It was a planned attack on the bike rally which was organised on Hindu new year,” Poonia had alleged.
Former chief minister and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje also condemned the incident, and said the “hate mentality” cannot be allowed to flourish in Rajasthan.