Unprecedented violence ... has not only left the residents of the city aghast, but also does not portend well for this land of composite cultures. Never before had this popular pilgrimage centre ... witnessed a quarrel over trifles snowballing into a major conflict ...

The sad aspect ... is that it all happened in the vicinity of the final resting place of the Sufi mystic, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. The historic Dargah of the Sufi saint is revered equally by both the communities, and the sudden eruption of violence in the city, known for its communal harmony, is indeed baffling as one views the stream of pilgrims visiting the mausoleum again after restoration of peace.

Normalisation is only a superficial phenomenon, as the undercurrent is that of a strong resentment against the District Administration, police machinery and the local political leaders. What initially started as a quarrel over buying of trinkets first changed into communal clashes and then converted into hostilities between police and the local residents.

The minor dispute between a group of "Zaireen" (pilgrims) comprising both Hindus and Muslims, and a local shopkeeper, on February 17 soon turned into communal violence when a huge crowd gathered on the spot and took sides. The police stepped in to control the situation only when the hooligans had torched a number of shops and the rioting mob had started attacking each other ... The residents ... blame it for taking "wrong" actions.

That the policemen themselves were the targets of attack ... was clear from the version ... of the District Collector, Mr. Karni Singh Rathore. He said that hundreds of people, perched on the roof of the ... entrance gate of Dargah, were throwing stones on police personnel. A lathi-charge could disperse the rioters on the road, but it was difficult to deal with the attackers ... on the rooftop.

While the District Administration insists that police fires five rounds "in the air" to quell the rioting, the Khadims of Dargah allege that the firing was directed at the historic gate ... Anjuman Khuddam Syedzagdan, claimed that there were marks of bullets on the gate and the policemen, while firing, stepped with their shoes on the staircase.

The Khadims, who claim to be descendents of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and number about 2,000 launched an indefinite dharna at the entrance gate during the curfew to protest against the alleged firing. The District Administration ... promised to hold an inquiry into the matter ... Then the Khadims lifted the dharna.

What added fuel to the fire over the tussle of local populace with the police were the incidents of February 20, when a crowd insisted upon offering Friday prayers in the historic "Dhai Din Ka Jhonpra" mosque, situated at a distance from the Dargah, violating the curfew in force. Some people had succeeded in entering the mosque, who were allegedly pulled out by policemen and others were dispersed by lathi-charge, ... teargas and firing in the air.

The District Administration has come in for severe criticism for its "mishandling" of situation on Friday. Though it had been apprised in advance of the importance of congregational prayers of Friday ... The District Administration failed to take a final decision on relaxation of curfew till Friday morning.

.. Mr. Rathore said that information about no relaxation in the curfew had been supplied to the local newspapers which had carried it (but) no announcement ... was made over loudspeakers.

As a number of lethal weapons were allegedly used in the attack on police, a massive clamp-down was launched to unearth the arms in the houses in Andarkot. The local residents allege that the police and Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC) jawans barged into their houses, damaged household goods in the name of search, beat up the menfolk, misbehaved with the womenfolk and took away huge amounts of cash and jewellery. (One could see) the furniture and doors badly damaged and the household goods, utensils and clothes scattered around in several houses.

... Police have so far arrested 99 people on various charges ... People claimed that the majority of these cases were false and fabricated.

The Police said that they were not from a single community, though the majority of them belonged to one particular community. But he admitted that the shopkeeper who initially started the dispute had not been arrested, as he was not a "named accused".

(Thus) the way the situation was handled ... turned it into a fight between the police and a community ...                                                                       (Source: The Hindu, 28 February, 1998)