Fresh sectarian violence grips lucknow; curfew clamped - The New Indian Express
An undeclared curfew was imposed in parts of the Old City here following a fresh round of sectarian violence which broke out on Thursday.
The latest incident of sporadic violence was a sequel to the sectarian clashes between the Shia and Sunni Muslims on Wednesday night that claimed the life of one person and left several others wounded.
The violence that engulfed several areas of the Old City, have further widened the existing Sunni-Shia rift and increased the mistrust and the tension between the two sides.
Incidentally, the fresh violence occurred even as the ruling SP was holding a state-level meeting of its functionaries to tone up the functioning of the government machinery and to initiate steps to make the officials and ministers more accountable.
The state capital has had a history of sectarian violence. But lately, the authorities had managed to keep the situation well under control and hence no incidents of a similar nature had been reported in the recent past.
The flare-up has also put a question mark over the handling of the situation by the senior police officers.
The trouble started around 9pm on Wednesday when the members of one sect, who were coming out of a mosque after the 'Majlis' organised by the Ali Educational Society in Wazirganj area, were fired upon by some unidentified persons resulting in the death and the injuries.
The incident triggered mass protests and bands of protesters blocked the roads which prevented the police from reaching the spot. Also, the police had to face the ire of the protesters over their alleged negligent attitude resulting in the clashes.
An undeclared curfew was imposed in parts of the Old City here following a fresh round of sectarian violence which broke out on Thursday.
The latest incident of sporadic violence was a sequel to the sectarian clashes between the Shia and Sunni Muslims on Wednesday night that claimed the life of one person and left several others wounded.
The violence that engulfed several areas of the Old City, have further widened the existing Sunni-Shia rift and increased the mistrust and the tension between the two sides.
Incidentally, the fresh violence occurred even as the ruling SP was holding a state-level meeting of its functionaries to tone up the functioning of the government machinery and to initiate steps to make the officials and ministers more accountable.
The state capital has had a history of sectarian violence. But lately, the authorities had managed to keep the situation well under control and hence no incidents of a similar nature had been reported in the recent past.
The flare-up has also put a question mark over the handling of the situation by the senior police officers.
The trouble started around 9pm on Wednesday when the members of one sect, who were coming out of a mosque after the 'Majlis' organised by the Ali Educational Society in Wazirganj area, were fired upon by some unidentified persons resulting in the death and the injuries.
The incident triggered mass protests and bands of protesters blocked the roads which prevented the police from reaching the spot. Also, the police had to face the ire of the protesters over their alleged negligent attitude resulting in the clashes.
