The Hindu : Stray incidents in Gujarat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 05, 2002

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Stray incidents in Gujarat
By Manas Dasgupta

AHMEDABAD, MARCH 4. At least seven persons were killed in stabbing incidents and group clashes in different parts of riot-torn Gujarat today even as the official toll in the past five days' violence went up to 523.

At least two persons were stabbed to death and another injured in Baroda, forcing the authorities to withdraw the curfew relaxation in the affected areas. Vijaynagar town in Sabarkantha district was placed under indefinite curfew after two persons were killed in clashes between two groups.

Army units were dispatched to Kaira district after two deaths were reported in clashes in the district headquarters of Nadiad. Clashes continued throughout the day in the neighbouring Kaira and Anand towns and in some other parts of the district.

Though the countryside remained relatively calm, at least one person was stabbed to death in Makadi village in Danta taluka of Banaskantha district. No untoward incident was reported from other villages in the State.

Life in Ahmedabad city improved but most parts of the walled city and the labour-dominated eastern parts continued to be under curfew after four stabbing incidents were reported from Astodia, Kalupur and Mirzapur Road areas. Curfew, which was relaxed for the entire day in most parts of the walled city, was reimposed in the afternoon in the areas from where violence was reported.

The State Government, while claiming that normality was fast returning in the city, said that 93 of the 96 bank branches in the curfew-free areas in Ahmedabad resumed operations today and the clearing house cleared 1.86 lakh documents involving transactions of over Rs. 741 crore.

Shahnawaz plea

NEW DELHI, MARCH 4. The Civil Aviation Minister, Shahnawaz Hussain, today urged the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to take ``hard measures'' to restore the confidence of the Muslims in the Government and the BJP as the party's image had suffered a setback due to the Gujarat riots.

After visiting the riot-hit areas of the State along with the Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, on Sunday, Mr. Hussain told reporters that he met Mr. Vajpayee this morning and told him that though the situation was improving in the cities.- PTI

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