One person has been killed and the Pink city has been placed under curfew following massive arson and violence by a Muslim mob following minor skirmishes with the police in which a couple accused police of hitting them with lathi while removing encroachers in Ramganj area in Jaipur on Friday night.

This not a communal riot and situation is under control now.

Internet services were suspended in parts of the riot affected area and traffic to Delhi and Agra diverted to alternate routes.

Mob attacked a police station, set a power house, an ambulance, police van and few other vehicles on fire. Police fired in the air, used rubber bullets and lathi charge to control the violent mob. The person killed has been identified as Aadil.

Security forces has been deployed including around mortuary at the SMS Hospital where the body has been kept.

It is believed that the violence began when policemen while removing encroachers including an e-scooter rickshaw parked there that had obstructed traffic, hit a couple on the motorcycle. Sajid, the motorcyclist fell along with his daughter and his wife Aarsi protested over it. According to her, the policemen neither regretted hitting them nor stopped to help her injured husband. When mob gathered police asked the couple to lodge a complaint at the police station. Rumour mongers spread the word through social media as if police were using force on Muslims. A mob gathered and quickly became violent setting on fire half a dozen vehicles, damaging two dozen others. It indulged in stone pelting in injuring half a dozen policemen.

The curfew was imposed in the area under four police stations after mid night.

Commissioner, Jaipur Sanjay Agarwal appealed people to remain calm and assured people that he would investigate policemen hitting the couple and take action against them if found guilty.

Ashok Parnami, president of the state BJP whose constituency is also affected by the violence has spoken to the officers to restore peace and appealed the people to remain calm.

(With inputs from IANS)

Also Read

Six policemen injured in clashes in Anantnag

Darjeeling: Policemen, Gorkhaland activists injured in clashes