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More areas in Gujarat town under curfew

By Our Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD JAN. 1. More areas in Dahod town in central Gujarat were brought under curfew today as communal violence continued throughout last night and spread to newer areas.

At least 40 shops, cabins and houses were set afire by mobs, which also threw stones and acid bulbs at each other.

An indefinite curfew was clamped on the areas under police chowky three from 7 a.m. today in addition to the two police station areas brought under curfew last evening. Curfew was, however, relaxed for a few hours in some areas where the situation remained peaceful last night.

The disturbances were sparked off by an incident of eve-teasing on Ghanchi road area on Tuesday when a tribal girl was allegedly molested by some minority youths. As the girl's brother and three of his friends challenged the eve-teasers, they were gheraoed and were attacked with swords. Two of them were seriously injured and were rushed to the S.S.G. Hospital in Vadodara where their condition was stated to be critical.

The rival groups joined the scuffle and violence spread to other parts of the town with mobs pelting stones and attacking each other with swords, dharias and other weapons. The police burst nearly 100 teargas shells and fired in the air to disperse the mobs who kept regrouping and attacking each other. All the year-ending celebrations were cancelled in the town and additional police forces rushed to Dahod from nearby areas. At least 20 persons were injured in group clashes, while the police rounded up about 30 people for rioting. The `eve-teasers' were also arrested.

The violence, however, continued throughout the night and a report reaching here said some tribal families had started migrating from the town to their native villages. The police, however, said the situation today was peaceful but tense.

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