Night curfew remains in Sangli, Miraj

SANGLI: The Sangli district administration is taking no chance in its effort to ensure peace in the riot-hit towns of Sangli and Miraj and has decided to continue imposing curfew during the night hours in both the towns for the next few days. Sangli district collector Shyam Wardhane told TOI, "Curfew will remain in force during the night hours, from 9 pm to 6 am, at Sangli and Miraj."
Wardhane added: "We will take a call on total lifting of curfew only after we are sure that there is no likelihood of fresh violence.The month of Ramzan Id is on and we can't take any chances."
Similarly, night curfew will remain in force at Ichalkaranji, which falls in neighbouring Kolhapur district. "We have decided to stick to curfew from 8 pm to 6 am, for some time," said Ajit Relekar, resident deputy collector, Kolhapur.
Meanwhile, the Sangli police have launched a probe into the events that led to the violence which first broke out at Miraj on September 2 following a dispute between two communities over a welcome arch put up on the Ganesh immersion procession route spreading to other parts of the district as well as Ichalkaranji.
At the centre of this probe is the video CDs of the violence at Miraj. The CDs found there way on the internet as well as mobile photo clippings, said Sangli suprintendent of police Krishna Prakash. "We are investigating who were the brains behind these activities," he said.