Lucknow, October 18
Swinging into action, the district administration today lodged FIRs against 50 persons in Mau, including sitting local MLA and mafia don Mukhtar Ansari as well as local leaders of the BJP and the Hindu Yuva Vahini. None of them have been arrested as yet.
The FIR against Ansari was lodged on the complaint of local resident Jitendra Yadav on a complaint on October 14. However, the report was finally lodged today under Sections 302, 147, 148 and related sections. FIRs have also been lodged against local BJP leader Ramji Singh and Hindu Yuva Vahini leader Sujit Singh Chandel for their role in instigating the riots.
Briefing the Press after his daylong visit to Mau, Home Secretary Alok Sinha described the situation as “under total control”. He, along with DGP Yashpal Singh, had personally visited the strife-torn city.
Mr Sinha denied reports that a certain community was feeling insecure. For several days, wild rumours created havoc making the task of the district administration even more difficult.
While officially seven persons had died in Mau since October 14, three highly decomposed bodies have also been recovered. “The bodies have been sent for post-mortem. Around 252 persons have been arrested in Mau till now.
The city has witnessed no untoward incident for the past 36 hours. The local peace committees were to meet later this evening to decide on the duration for relaxation of the curfew on Wednesday. The city experienced uninterrupted curfew for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday.
According to Mr Sinha, the district administration was ensuring supply of milk and vegetables to residents to save them from hardship. “Long queues were seen at the mobile dispensary which were functioning and dispersing medicines in the city.
After a gap of four days normal train and bus services would be restored on Wednesday bringing back Mau on the map. Expressing satisfaction of the working of the peace committees, Mr Sinha said members of both communities were attending them.
