The Hindu : National : Shoot-at-sight orders in Mau

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Sunday, Oct 16, 2005

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Shoot-at-sight orders in Mau

MAU (UP): Shoot-at-sight order was issued in this communally-sensitive town on Saturday following outbreak of fresh violence in which two more persons died despite curfew and deployment of para-military forces.

Gunshots were heard and people were seen running out of the lanes and bylanes looking for cover during the clashes this morning in which two people were killed taking the toll in the communal violence to five since Thursday. According to eyewitnesses, police opened fire to quell the rioters.

The Director General of Police Yashpal Singh, along with Principal Secretary Home, Alok Sinha, visited the town and reviewed the situation. He ordered shoot-at-sight to bring the situation under control, official sources said.

They also toured the curfew-bound areas to personally assess the situation, the sources said and added that additional force was being deployed in the troubled areas.

More than 85 people have so far been arrested in connection with the riots which broke out on Thursday night over Dussehra festivities, the sources said.

The bodies of the two persons were taken for post-mortem to the district hospital with hospital sources declaring that of the two, one had been killed in police firing.

Meanwhile, the BJP unit has demanded the arrest of local MLA Mukhtar Ansari, who they alleged was vitiating the atmosphere in the town despite a ban on the entry and movement of political leaders.

BJP's demand

Meanwhile, the BJP has demanded deployment of armed forces in Mau and urged the Centre to consider imposing President's rule in Uttar Pradesh for the failure of law and order.

BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said in New Delhi on Saturday that the riots have proved that the Mulayam Singh led government had ``totally failed'' to check the law and order situation from deteriorating. - PTI &UNI

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