Hate comes full circle, Godhra flare-up kills 2

Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s security advisor K.P.S. Gill rushed to Godhra on Saturday evening after a communal clash in the town resulted in the death of two people and caused injuries to seven others late Friday night. Two others were injured in stabbing incidents.

Indefinite curfew, clamped following the incident, was not relaxed on Saturday though no fresh incident of violence was reported. A total of 46 persons have been arrested during combing operations but no weapons or explosives were seized. Gill, who arrived in the evening, held a meeting with police and district authorities about the law and order situation in the town.

According to police officials, the clash took place after a ‘‘mischievous’’ bomb explosion in Zahurpura mohalla around 11 pm. No one was injured in the explosion but it led to stone-pelting. Police lobbed 10 teargas shells and fired six rubber bullets and three plastic bullets but the mob did not disperse. Police then fired 39 rounds killing two on the spot and injuring seven. Three of them — seriously injured — were referred to the SSG Hospital here.

Cops said the dead had been as identified as 20-year-old Shoaib Yaqub Manako and 63-year-old Rashid Khan Pathan.