Curfew relaxed for four hours in Allahabad

The narrow streets of the old city area were abuzz with activity as people poured out in large numbers with buyers and sellers eager to make the most of the four-hour relief.

Curfew was on Monday relaxed for four hours in five areas in the city that witnessed violence over the alleged desecration of a holy book.

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Earlier, it was decided that curfew would be relaxed from 9 am to 12 pm in Kotwali, Atarwuiya, Dhoomanganj, Khuldabad and Shahganj police station areas. However, keeping in view the requirements of the people and improvement in the situation, the relaxation was extended upto 1 pm, Additional District Magistrate (city) Prabhat Sharma said.

He said a two-hour curfew relaxation from 3 to 5 pm, would also be effected in Kareli police station area, from where trouble had began two days ago and where curfew could not be relaxed on Sunday.

The narrow streets of the old city area, which wore a deserted look until the relaxation in curfew, were abuzz with activity as people poured out in large numbers with buyers and sellers eager to make the most of the four-hour relief.

A heavy deployment of rapid action force, provincial armed constabulary and local police is in place in the affected areas to keep law and order under check.

Meanwhile, educational institutions across the city, including those outside the curfew-bound areas, were ordered closed by the district administration "as a precautionary measure".