Jodhpur Violence: Curfew extended till May 6; 140 arrested so far

Jodhpur: Jodhpur Police Commissioner on Wednesday issued an order extending the curfew imposed in the district, following the communal clashes over the hoisting of a flag a day before Eid, till midnight of May 6.

"The curfew imposed in Jodhpur Commissionerate area on May 3 has been extended till May 6...Raikabagh Palace Bus Stand and Raikabagh Railway Station have been excluded from the curfew," read the order.

The students and teachers appearing for the examination have been exempted from the curfew.

As per the order, personnel engaged in medical services, bank officials, Judicial officers, and media personnel are exempted from the curfew.

The order added that newspaper hawkers will also be allowed to distribute the newspapers."

Currently, the situation in the district is 'peaceful' and 140 persons have been arrested in connection with the violence that erupted in the district hours before Eid.

"Currently, the situation is peaceful. Till now, around 140 persons have been arrested and 14 cases have been registered. A meeting was held with Bharatiya Janata Party leaders today and they have suspended their protest for now," said Hawa Singh Ghumaria, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order).

Meanwhile, internet services remain suspended in the district.

"The decision to resume mobile internet services will be taken after assessing the law & order situation. Currently, mobile internet services remain suspended," said Himanshu Gupta, Jodhpur District Magistrate.

Tension gripped Mr. Gehlot's hometown Jodhpur hours before Eid on Tuesday, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services and impose a curfew in 10 police station areas of the city.

There was agitation over putting up religious flags on the Jalori gate circle in Jodhpur, which led to stone-pelting in which five policemen were injured.

The state Chief Minister has appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony.

Following the incident, Jodhpur Police issued orders imposing a curfew besides suspending mobile internet services to check the spread of rumours.

The situation was brought under control in the early hours of Tuesday with heavy deployment of police but tension escalated again in the morning after prayers at an Eidgah. Shops, vehicles and houses were pelted with stones near the Jalori gate area.

Members of the minority community were installing Eid flags and they put up a flag on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa. This led to a confrontation as members of the other community alleged that a saffron flag, which they had put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti, had gone missing.

The issue snowballed into stone-pelting and clashes, officials said.

The police rushed to the spot to control the situation during which five policemen were injured, the police said.

The police had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Mobile internet services were suspended in the area to check the spread of rumours, the officials said.