Peace returns to troubled Gujarat<\/p>\n
Agencies, Ahmedabad, India<\/p>\n
Government workers dug graves on Tuesday for 120 unclaimed bodies
\nof Muslims, as peace returned to the western state of Gujarat
\nafter weeklong Hindu-Muslim violence that claimed 570 lives.<\/p>\n
The graves were being dug along a highway, 15 kilometers (10
\nmiles) northwest of Ahmedabad, so that unclaimed bodies in the
\ncity morgues could be given a quick burial, said a municipal
\nofficial, speaking on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
He said Ahmedabad municipal authorities have set a Tuesday
\ndeadline for family members to claim the bodies.<\/p>\n
The ones that still haven't been claimed will be buried
\nWednesday. Municipal authorities have asked Muslim leaders for
\nassistance in carrying out the religious rites, he said.<\/p>\n
In Ahmedabad, the state's principal city and the worst hit in
\nthe riots, \"the situation appears to be normal,\" police spokesman
\nInspector Pradeep Bhatt said. \"Ahmedabad has been peaceful.\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Hindu and Muslim community leaders held a peace march on
\nTuesday in Gujarat.<\/p>\n
As many as 800 people took part in the march, which was given
\na heavy police escort and wound through Gujarat's commercial
\ncapital Ahmedabad to finish at the ashram of India's independence
\nhero and apostle of peace, Mahatma Gandhi.<\/p>\n
\"This is our city and we want it back,\" said one of the
\nmarchers, K. Stalin, who runs an NGO promoting literacy.<\/p>\n
\"This city does not belong to Muslim fundamentalists or Hindu
\nextremists. It belongs to us citizens,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Daytime curfew restrictions were lifted in Ahmedabad on
\nTuesday, although they remained in force in 20 other sensitive
\nareas.<\/p>\n
\"We are still getting reports of the odd incident of violence
\nhere and there,\" deputy inspector general of police K.
\nChakravarty said.<\/p>\n
Police officials said the death toll was sure to rise as
\nbodies were still being recovered from remote Muslim villages
\nthat had been attacked and burned by Hindu mobs.<\/p>\n
Some officials said the final figure could cross the 1,000
\nmark.<\/p>\n
The rioting was India's worst religious violence in a decade.
\nIt started after a Muslim mob set fire to a train carrying Hindu
\nnationalists on Wednesday. The 58 deaths provoked a retaliatory
\nrampage by Hindus. Most of those killed since then have been
\nMuslims.<\/p>\n
On Monday, two people were killed when police fired guns at a
\ncrowd of looters in Santarampur town and one person was stabbed
\nto death in Surat town, police said.<\/p>\n
Curfew has been relaxed in most places in the state and
\nstreets were once again jammed with unruly traffic typical of
\nIndian cities.<\/p>\n
However, schools and colleges closed during the violence will
\nreopen March 8, Bhatt said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/peace-returns-to-troubled-gujarat-1447893297",
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