Main accused in Kasganj violence arrested

Five days after communal clashes at Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh claimed one life and left many injured, police nabbed the main accused in the violence Saleem, even as the situation in the riot-torn town was stated to be "normal".

According to the police here, Saleem was arrested on Wednesday and is being interrogated.

"The other accused will also be nabbed soon," said Kasganj police chief Piyush Srivastava.

Sources said that Saleem, who ran a cloth shop in Kasganj, had fired from the roof of his house, when the violence had broken out in the town during a motorbike rally by ABVP and VHP workers on Republic, killing a youth.

Police officers said that they were examining the videos of the violence to identify the trouble mongers.

A video, that shows VHP and ABVP workers marching with pistols in their hands, is also being examined, they added.

State police chief O P Singh said on Wednesday that the situation in Kasganj was normal.

A special investigating team (SIT) had been formed to probe the communal violence.

Over 100 people have been arrested in connection with the violence.