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Curfew lifted, all schools and colleges to remain closed on Tuesday

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Protests against cane-charge on seers continue in Kashi

(TOI photo by Sanjay Gupta)

VARANASI: Curfew was imposed in the heart of the Prime Minister’s constituency in areas like Dashaswamedh, Kotwali, Chowk, and Luxa on Monday following clashes between activists of the VHP and its affiliated groups and the police, in which at least 50 people were wounded including TOI’s city photographer who got a head injury.Varanasi district magistrate Rajmani Yadav announced late in the evening that while the curfew had been withdrawn, all schools and colleges in the city will remain closed on Tuesday.Earlier, around 8,000 members of Hindu outfits began their march from the Town Hall ground to Dashaswamedh Ghat in protest against the police lathicharge on September 22 on a religious procession during the immersion of Ganesha idols.The clashes had occurred then after the administration, citing a 2013 Allahabad high court order against immersion of idols in the Ganga, stopped the pageant from reaching the river with the idols. They were told to take the idols to another location with a large water tank. The processionists sat on a dharna and the cops used force in which at least a dozen people were injured.On Monday, VHP activists refused to heed the administration’s advice against carrying out the protest, with one Swami Avimukteshawaranand Saraswati calling a meeting at the Town Hall ground before the ‘Anyaya Pratikar Yatra’ or protest march to Dashaswamedh Ghat.When VHP activists reached Godowlia chowk, the heart of the town, some people from among the protesters threw stones at the police, who then launched a full-scale lathi charge, in which TOI’s Sanjay Gupta along with another photographer was wounded.In the violence that followed, a police outpost was torched and several vehicles damaged. Police fired tear gas shells with VHP official Sadhvi Prachi, who was part of the march, alleging they were beaten up by the police. VHP had been demanding a place to immerse the idols, but the administration appeared ill-prepared.The problem will grow acute with Durga Puja around the corner, when immersion arrangement for anything between 500 to 1,000 idols of the Goddess will have to be made. The Allahabad HC order prohibits immersion of idols in the Ganga anywhere in UP to save it from one of the major sources of water pollution caused by chemical dyes and colours used on idols.Varanasi divisional commissioner Nitin Ramesh Gokarn said a constant vigil was being kept on social media, and any attempt to fan trouble would be dealt with seriously.