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New Delhi: The Khargone administration has decided not to relax the curfew on May 3, Tuesday and asked people to celebrate the Eid-al-Fitr and Akshaya Tritiya festivals at home in the Madhya Pradesh city, which saw communal violence during a Ram Navami procession last month.
The officials told PTI that security has been tightened in Khargone, adding that all religious places in the city will remain shut on Tuesday.
Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan, is being celebrated in the country on Tuesday. The festival of Akshaya Tritiya, considered auspicious for beginning new ventures, marriages and expensive investments such as in gold, and the Parshuram Jayanti are also being celebrated on Tuesday.
“Members of all communities have agreed to celebrate the festivals in their homes. There will be no relaxation in the curfew on Tuesday to ensure peace and law and order in the city,” sub-divisional magistrate Milind Dhoke told reporters on May 2, Monday night.
Earlier, the administration had announced a 24-hour curfew on May 2 and 3, but relaxed it for nine hours on Monday.
Indore’s divisional commissioner Pawan Sharma and inspector general of police Rakesh Gupta had reached Khargone on Sunday night and held a meeting with officials.
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Khargone’s in-charge superintendent of police (SP) Rohit Kashwani told reporters that additional forces, including mobile units, have been deployed to beef up security in the city.
“Drone cameras and 171 CCTVs have been deployed to monitor the situation in the city. Also, temporary jails have been set up for those who violate the curfew,” he said.
All religious places will be closed on Tuesday, he said, adding that flag marches were carried out in the city. The emergency services, like fire brigade and ambulances, have also been asked to remain prepared, he said.
The police have so far arrested 177 people in connection with the violence. It has also arrested five persons for allegedly killing a 28-year-old man, who went missing on April 10 evening when the violence broke out. This was the first officially reported death in the Khargone riots.
The Wire had reported that the family of Ibris Khan, who worked as a sweeper, alleged that the police and the residents of Khargone were involved in his killing.
(With PTI inputs)