New Delhi: The Khargone administration has changed its previous decision and announced a relaxation in curfew for nine hours on May 2, Monday in the Madhya Pradesh city, where violence was reported during a Ram Navami procession on April 10, officials said. However, the administration is still reviewing the 24-hour curfew on May 3, Tuesday.
The administration had announced a 24-hour curfew on May 2 and 3 (Monday and Tuesday) and asked Khargone residents to celebrate the Eid-al-Fitr and Akshaya Tritiya festivals at home.
Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan, will be celebrated in the country on May 3 as the moon was not sighted on Sunday evening. The festival of Akshaya Tritiya, considered auspicious for beginning new ventures, marriages and expensive investments such as in gold, will also be celebrated on May 3.
“Complete curfew will be imposed in the Khargone on May 2 and May 3. Eid prayers to be offered at home,” Summer Singh, the additional district magistrate of Khargone told NDTV. On these days, shops will remain open and students going for exams will be given a pass, he added.
“Also, no event on Akshaya Tritiya and Parshuram Jayanti will be allowed to be organised in the district,” Singh said.
Also read: Khargone: Communal Violence Leaves Many Displaced, State Action Targets Muslims
However, Indore’s divisional commissioner Pawan Sharma and inspector general of police Rakesh Gupta on May 2 held a meeting with officials to review the decision about the 24-hour curfew on Tuesday, PTI reported.
Meanwhile, the curfew in the city has been relaxed for nine hours – from 8 am to 5 pm – on Monday, Special Armed Force Commandant Ankit Jaiswal, posted temporarily in Khargone, told reporters late Sunday night.
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, 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 inputs from PTI)