A DAY after communal violence claimed four lives in the city, the administration authorities here had no convincing answers to the administrative lapses and their failure to respond quickly to the situation.
Instead, SSP Ashutosh Pandey did an about-turn on his own statement made on Friday that the violence was “premeditated” even as District Magistrate RN Tripathi made a feeble attempt to shield his two ADMs, who had failed miserably in tackling the situation despite prior information about the stir. Not only this, both Tripathi and Pandey had a different take on when exactly the violence erupted. While SSP Ashutosh Pandey said he was informed at around 3 pm and reinforcements arrived at 3.45 pm, DM Tripathi said he received the information about the clashes at 2.30 pm.
Though, the SSP said that the police fired several rounds of rubber bullets and tear gas, he refused to confirm whether those dead could have been killed in the police firing.
“We won’t be able to comment on this unless we get to see the post mortem report,” he said. The DM was equally evasive when asked where his two ADMs, who were asked to ensure law and order-related arrangements to the procession, were when the violence broke out. He parried the question when asked whether the administration had given permission to the protest demonstration and the subsequent security arrangements made by it knowing fully well that it would be coinciding with the President’s visit to the city. “I would have to check this with ADM City (East) Janardan Baranwal, who was put in-charge and asked to supervise the event,” he said evasively. Baranwal too evaded the query when contacted by HT Lucknow Live on the issue. “I am in a meeting right now can you call up later,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“We won’t be able to comment on this unless we get to see the post mortem report,” he said. The DM was equally evasive when asked where his two ADMs, who were asked to ensure law and order-related arrangements to the procession, were when the violence broke out. He parried the question when asked whether the administration had given permission to the protest demonstration and the subsequent security arrangements made by it knowing fully well that it would be coinciding with the President’s visit to the city. “I would have to check this with ADM City (East) Janardan Baranwal, who was put in-charge and asked to supervise the event,” he said evasively. Baranwal too evaded the query when contacted by HT Lucknow Live on the issue. “I am in a meeting right now can you call up later,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Incidentally, both ADM City (East) Baranwal and ADM City (west) RA Maurya were not given any official responsibilities related to the President’s visit precisely because they were supposed to ensure that the demonstration passed off peacefully, according to sources. It is on record now that the clashes continued for almost two hour before anybody from the police or administration could muster up enough courage to show up.