Terming the communal clashes in Saharanpur as "shameful", Akal Takht head Gurbachan Singh today alleged that the district administration had failed to act in time to curb the violence that claimed three lives and demanded a fair probe into the matter.
"The administration should have executed its responsibilities but the District Magistrate along with other officials failed to do so. It is for this reason that a peaceful district like Saharanpur is witnessing clashes," he said while speaking to reporters here.
Singh, head of the supreme temporal body of Sikhs, said it was unfortunate that in front of administrative officials miscreants indulged in brick-batting and arson outside a sacred place. He also condemned the burning down of shops and other incidents of violence in the district.
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Hitting out at Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, he said as the head of the state he should be fair to all and announce compensation to even those who had suffered loss of property.
The Uttar Pradesh government had last night announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each to the next of kin of the three persons killed and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Three persons were yesterday killed and 19 others, including policemen, injured in the clashes between two communities over a land dispute, after which curfew was clamped and shoot-at-sight ordered.
Five policemen, a city magistrate, and 13 others were injured. A constable was stated to be in serious condition in Chandigarh PGI after suffering a bullet injury.
