Bahraich violence: No internet for third day, security beefed up along Nepal border

Bahraich: Mobile internet and and broadband services remained suspended for the third day in a row in trouble-torn Maharajganj on Wednesday, impacting daily life and businesses, officials said.

However, the situation is returning to normalcy with no untoward incident being reported since Tuesday, they said.

There was heavy police deployment in the district, particularly in the 20-km radius of Maharajganj town in the Mahsi tehsil where communal violence broke out on Sunday leading to the death of a man.

In view of the situation in Bahraich, which shares an international border with Nepal, the Sashastra Seema Bal has increased vigilance on the border and reached out to their counterparts, too, asking them to put a check on "unnecessary" movement of people, a senior officer said.

Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, was shot dead and about half a dozen people were injured in stone pelting and firing as communal violence broke out during a Durga idol immersion procession in Bahraich on Sunday.

The incident prompted heavy security deployment in the area and a police crackdown, leading to the arrest of over 50 suspected rioters till Tuesday evening and the lodging of five separate FIRs over the violence and arson.

"No untoward incident has been reported since Tuesday. The situation is under control in the area that witnessed the violence on Sunday and Monday," a local police officer told PTI.

The situation in other parts of the district is said to be normal, with open markets and people going about their business as usual.

However, the suspension of internet services for the third day in a row has impacted business, local trade body officer-bearers said, as the district remained virtually cut off.

SSB's 42nd battalion Commandant Ganga Singh Udawat said that they were instructed by the force's DIG-IG headquarters to step up security at the border immediately after the Sunday incident.

"We have spoken to the Armed Police Force of Nepal and asked them to check any unnecessary movement of people across the India-Nepal border through Rupaidiha (Bahraich) and increase frisking there," Udawat told PTI.

The SSB officer said the to and fro movement at the border here usually goes up around the time of Dussehra, which is an important festival in Nepal.

UP Udyog Vyapar Mandal's Bahraich chapter president Gauri Shankar Bhaniramka said the suspension of internet services has impacted the business in the district.

"Business worth crores has been impacted due to internet services' suspension," he said.

The police said so far five FIRs have been lodged in connection with the violence, mostly against unidentified persons. Searches for key accused Abdul Hamid, his sons Rinku alias Sarfaraz alias Salman, and Fahim were underway.

It was in their house where Mishra was injured, an official said.

Meanwhile, physically disabled Satyavan Mishra (45) who was injured during the Sunday violence was on Tuesday evening referred to Lucknow for better treatment, a hospital official said.

He was admitted to the medical college Bahraich at the district headquarters here, the official added.

In a statement Tuesday night, the UP government said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was receiving hourly updates on the situation in Bahraich and had directed for the deployment of additional force along with senior police and administration officers on the ground.

A control room has been set up, and a survey is underway to assist those impacted, while "anarchists" were being monitored via social media, with additional intelligence teams gathering information on the rioters, it added.