Lucknow: Varanasi remained tense for the second consecutive day after clashes between saints and seers and the police.
Though curfew was lifted late on Monday night, schools and colleges remained closed on Tuesday. Prohibitory orders have been clamped in the holy city.
ADG (law and order) Daljit Chaudhary told reporters that Rapid Action Force and provincial armed constabulary had been deployed in Varanasi to prevent any fallout of the Monday’s violence.
The police have arrested 40 people in connection with the violence on Monday and over 50 people, including 13 policemen, have been reportedly injured in the clashes.
Meanwhile, home minister Rajnath Singh took stock of the situation.
He also spoke to Varanasi SSP and has asked him to ensure peace in the area.
It may be recalled that violence had erupted in Varanasi on Monday after the police tried to stop a procession “Anyay Pratikar Yatra’ that was being taken out by saints and seers in protest against the local administration’s refusal to allow immersion of idols during the Ganpati Utsav last month.
Meanwhile, the state unit of the Bhartiya Janata Party while condemning the police lathi-charge on seers and locals has held Uttar Pradesh government responsible for not controlling the situation timely.
