Mominpura limping back to normalcy
Category :
City |
Posted Date :
14/07/2011
NAGPUR: After nearly 15 days of tension that prevailed over the burial of Baba Mustafa, the city police on Wednesday lifted curfew clamped to restore peace in the trouble-torn area. Mominpura came alive after a prolonged uneasy calm as commissioner of police Ankush Dhanvijay announced the lifting of curfew after reviewing the situation. Busy markets, eateries and congested lanes were abuzz with food stalls showing clear signs of life limping back to normalcy.
After the court's decision on Tuesday to exhume the body of the Baba, the cops continued with curfew from 6pm on Tuesday to Wednesday morning. Curfew was relaxed after 7am which continued till 1pm on Wednesday. With peace prevailing, Dhanvijay ordered the lifting of curfew.
After ordering the exhumation of the body, the high court has granted Baba's followers a week's time to go in appeal before the Supreme Court.
Talking to TOI, Dhanvijay said, "Cops have been deployed in the vicinity of Mohammad Ali Sarai where the Baba's body was buried. No one is allowed to enter the Sarai campus," he said.
Dhanvijay said that cops will continue to stay at Mohammad Sarai till the final verdict is announced. "Security personnel will patrol sensitive areas to ensure that there is no backlash," said Dhanvijay and added that arrests will made if more than five persons are found assembled in Mominpura or the adjoining sensitive areas as per the provisions of Bombay Police Act.
After Dhanvijay announced the lifting of curfew, people resumed their routine activities on Wednesday. Children were back playing on the ground and in lanes while traders kept their shops open till late in the night. Smiles returned to the face of street vendors who opened stalls almost after 14 days. A visibly happy Zultekar Ahmed said, "It is good to see smiling faces and people moving around without fear. I hope to recover the losses I suffered over the last few weeks." Children who missed their school were eagerly packing their bags and getting ready for attending classes. During curfew days, the children were not able to attend schools.
Aariya, a standard ninth student, said, "I talked to my autorickshaw driver and he said he will come to take me to school."
Red alert sounded
Commissioner of police Ankush Dhanvijay announced a red alert in the city following serial blasts in Mumbai on Wednesday evening. He said that the cops would concentrate on sensitive areas.
Dhanvijay has beefed up security and increased the number of cops for night patrolling in areas like Tajbagh, Teka Naka, Jafar Nagar, Hasanbagh, Mankapur and Mohan Nagar.
Nakabandi was imposed at several points in the city while checking of vehicles at market areas and malls was carried out.
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