NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh government has admitted that violence in Kasganj occurred even after January 26, when clashes between members of two communities first broke out. This happened despite heavy deployment of police personnel in the area to contain the violence.
In a report submitted to the National Commission of Minorities, the government has said that violence in Kasganj broke out on January 27 and 29 also.
Describing the sequence of events on Republic Day, UP Home Secretary Bhagwan Swaroop, said police received the first tip-off about occurrence of an untoward incident around 10 am on January 26, following which police teams rushed to the intersection at Baliram gate in Kasganj where Republic day celebrations were taking place. According to the government, just when the police was trying to calm down the angry crowds, it received information that Chandan Gupta and Naushad had been shot. Gupta was declared brought dead.
The second round of violence broke out on January 27 after Gupta was cremated when some youths set a wooden door on fire. The UP government has admitted that quite a few similar incidents, such as torching of vehicles and shops, took place that day. According to the government, thousands of people gathered for the cremation ceremony and many of them were youths.
The third round of violence in Kasganj took place on the intervening night of January 29 and January 30. A Muslim street vendor’s stall was torched and an eidgah was vandalised. Following such incidents, the security at religious places was enhanced, the report states.
As per the government, the situation normalised on February 5 and local markets started opening up. According to the government, a total of 81 people were arrested and 55 were sent to jail in connection with the violence. One of the accused surrendered before the police. The report states that Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed in the area from January 26-February 10.
Riots in Kasganj started on the January 26 morning, when a group of youths, some of who were from the ABVP, entered a Muslim area with the Tricolour. The Muslims alleged that they were hoisting the national flag as they do every Republic Day, and as they were celebrating a group of Hindus attacked them. The Hindus allege that they carry out such marches every year and as they were going through Muslim areas they were attacked.
Besides NCM, the central government had also sought a detailed report from the UP government.