The Uttar Pradesh government rushed more police reinforcements to Bareilly as it remains tense after fresh violence erupted on Friday following the release of a Sunni cleric, who was arrested on charges of inciting clashes.
Leader of Ittehad-e-Millat Conference Maualna Khan, who was arrested on Monday last on charges of inciting a mob which set shops and vehicles on fire, was released on Thursday evening.
Soon after his release, there was a violent backlash from the Bajrang Dal on Friday and more areas of Bareilly were placed under curfew, which has been in force now for 13 days.
Police used force at a number of places to control the unruly mob, which torched nearly half a dozen buildings.
Political parties are now vying with one another in a game of upmanship.
Mayawati set the ball rolling by releasing the Maulana. But that has angered the Bajrang Dal, whose activists went on a rampage on Friday.
The BJP too has rushed in to consolidate the Hindu vote. To protest against Maulana's release, BJP MLA Rajesh Agarwal and former MP Santosh Gangwar staged a dharna in front of the district magistrate's residence, which continued till late Thursday night, officials said.
More politicians are said to be heading towards the town on Saturday but the police are likely to stop them from entering.
The state government on Thursday transferred District Magistrate Ashish Goel and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) M K Bashal ostensibly for failing to control the situation.
While DM Pilibhit Anil Garg was posted as new Bareilly DM, DIG Anti-Terror Squad Allahabad zone Rajiv Sabbarwal was given additional charge in place of Bashal. (With PTI inputs)
