People in riot-hit MP’s Khargone step out to buy essentials amid tight security

Bhopal:  Claiming that the situation in the riot-hit area in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district is back to normal, the district administration has relaxed curfew partially – in two intervals.
While the morning hours will see relaxation from 10 a.m to 12 p.m, people can also run errands between 3 p.m and 5 p.m.
However, the administration has allowed opening of shops selling essential items like groceries, medicines, vegetables, fruits etc. Clear instructions have been issued against people assembling in large groups.
A tight vigil is being maintained on activities of the people stepping out to buy daily needed items. Earlier, only women were allowed to buy essential items, however, relaxation was extended to men also after observing the situation.
Curfew was relaxed for two intervals of two hours with police saying that the alleged role of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Sunday’s riot would be investigated.
During the relaxation in curfew, the police personnel are giving instructions to the residents and shop owners through loudspeakers in the markets. Khargone district collector P. Anugraha told IANS that with the awareness of the general public, the situation in the city has started returning to normal.
“After the relaxation of curfew, citizens came out of their homes to buy essential items. Shops opened in the markets under the supervision of the administration and the police,” Anugraha said.
The district collector further informed that earlier some individual shops selling essential items were allowed, but observing the public cooperation, markets are also gradually restarting amid the tight-knit arrangement of the administration and the deployment of the police.
Meanwhile, police claimed to have arrested as many as 144 people so far involved in communal violence in the city that occurred on the occasion of Ram Navami festival on April 10.
While normalcy slowly returns to communal violence-hit Khargone city, the state police has begun probing the possibility of an external hand, including the role of the Popular Front of India (PFI) behind the riots.
IANS, through its trusted sources on Thursday has reported that the police suspect possible role of PFI for funding to create violence. “Alleged involvement of the PFI and funding of the communal violence will be investigated,a confirmed newly appointed Superintendent of Police (SP) Khargone district, Rohit Kashwani on Friday.
Kashwani took charge as SP on Thursday as his predecessor Siddharth Choudhary is on leave after sustaining an injury during the violence.