The internet services in the Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh were still blocked on Friday in the aftermath of the violence that rose last week due to congregational prayers and protests against an I Love Mohammad poster. The city enjoyed a peaceful day, although there was a high concentration of security in the wake of the shutdown.
Police had carried out massive flag marches and foot patrols in sensitive regions to keep order. Even religious leaders intervened, calling on people not to panic and follow directives of the administration. The authorities said that Friday prayers in all Bareilly mosques were held in a peaceful manner, and the cooperation of the people was complete.
District magistrate Avinash Singh in Bareilly mentioned that the city had been subdivided into super zones, zones and sectors so that the deployment of forces could be effective. There were police staff at strategic locations, and drones were deployed to track events and ward off any undesirable events. The people were also encouraged to go home immediately after prayers, as clerics insisted that people should go home.
At the same time, political tension arose when a delegation of the Samajwadi Party party headed by Pandey, was to visit the city. Pandey alleged that he was given a police notice that he should be at home. He explained that had the order been issued by the district collector himself, he would have obeyed in a respectful manner, but rather, he perceived the restrictions as an effort to avoid questioning the way the administration was managing the unrest. He claimed that the government was denying the visit in order to conceal their failures, and he further stated that his party would consult members before deciding what to do next.
At the administrative level, authorities have started tracking down those who were said to have been involved in the September 26 violence. A list of properties of suspected miscreants is being drawn up, which is being confirmed by Manikandan A, the vice-chairman of the Bareilly Development Authority. He explained that he will take a very serious measure in the near future, which will denote a more stern approach by the government to avert future violence.
Click Here for Chhattisgarh News
Click Here for Entertainment News