Internet down, markets shut as Bijnor remains under undeclared curfew

Bijnor: With seven PAC companies deployed in sensitive areas, Bijnor city continued to be tense for the second consecutive day on Saturday. The Internet was shut down across the district to prevent rumour-mongering via social media. Petrol pumps, which were shut for almost all of Friday, resumed business only on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, police filed fresh cases of rioting against 28 people.

The city’s streets bore a deserted look with only cops and PAC personnel at every major crossing in Bijnor. Peda village, the site of Friday’s action, is just 4 km from the district headquarters. While a handful of shops in

Sadar Bazar

, the city’s main market, opened for a few hours in the afternoon, most of them downed their shutters by the evening. The deserted markets, along with a shutdown of the internet, led to a curfew-like situation in the city. According to the police, rumours of more violence had started doing the rounds on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. Messages containing false information of more deaths were also being circulated.

“Troublemakers are now very active on social media. We wanted to curb the further spread of rumours. They could have further stoked the violence,” said Bijnor SP

Umesh Srivastava

, adding, “On Saturday, fresh cases were filed against 29 people. Of these, 27 people have been named in the FIR while two cases have been filed against unnamed accused. The cases have been filed under serious sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). So far, six accused have been arrested and soon we will arrest more. We have deployed adequate force in the area and the situation is under control.”

Meanwhile, locals in Peda and Naya Gaon villages said they are in a state of fear. The last rites of the deceased were performed amid tight police security. “People have started to leave their houses. Some left in such a hurry that they left their cattle behind. In fact, it was left up to cops to give water to some of the buffaloes, otherwise they would have died of thirst,” said Naya Gaon resident Brahmpal Singh.

Mohammed Aslam, a Peda resident, said, “My cousin

Aneesuddin

, one of the deceased, was just sitting on his terrace when he got hit by a bullet out of nowhere. He dragged himself into a room but he could not survive. Innocent people were targeted in this needless conflict. We fear that the violence may return.”