Rajasthan: SIT to probe recent communal violence

Set up by Director General of Police (DGP) ML Lather, the probe team will be led by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Vigilance, Biju George Joseph, the statement said.

The other members of the SIT are Inspector General of Police, Crime, Rajendra Singh; Superintendent of Police, SOG, Gaurav Yadav; Additional Superintendent of Police, Women Crime and Investigation Cell (Karauli), Kishore Butolia; ACP West Jodhpur Chakravarti Singh, and CO Sadar Bhilwara Ramchandra.

The team will submit its report in a month, the statement added.

Karauli witnessed large-scale arson on April 2 when a rally celebrating the Hindu New Year was pelted with stones as it passed through a Muslim-dominated area in the city.

On May 2, a day ahead of Eid, a curfew was imposed and internet services were barred in Jodhpur after violence that broke out as members of the Hindu community objected to raising of Islamic flags on the bust of a freedom fighter.

On Thursday, internet services were also suspended in Bhilwara district after an attack on two members of the Muslim community.

Calling the surge in communal violence a “pre-planned conspiracy”, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has blamed the BJP and accused it of polarisation to win elections.

The BJP has denied the allegations and instead accused the Congress of resorting to “politics of appeasement”.