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Nine killed in Gujarat on eve of PM's visit

At least nine persons were killed, six of them burnt alive, and over 11 injured as communal frenzy continued unabated on Wednesday in Gujarat, a day ahead of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to the state.

Five persons, including a woman belonging to minority community, were burnt alive and six received burn injuries when their houses were set ablaze by a mob at Abason village in Ahmedabad district late on Tuesday night, police said.

The five persons set on fire had been confined to their houses with all exit routes sealed, police said.

On Wednesday, police in Ahmedabad fired on a mob indulging in violence in curfew-bound Gomtipur, killing two persons and wounding three. Eight persons were injured in the violence.

In another case, a youth was assaulted and set on fire by a mob on the road, coming under the jurisdiction of the Madhupura police station, in Ahmedabad on Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Meanwhile, at least nine persons were injured in Tuesday night's violence in Gomtipur, Kalupur, Dariapur, Saraspur, Saranpur and Astodia prompting authorities to clamp curfew from midnight.

In Umreth town of Kheda district, one person was killed and four injured in police firing late on Tuesday night, police said adding authorities promptly imposed curfew in the area.

The latest killings pushed up the death toll in the violence in parts of Gujarat to 816, including 324 in Ahmedabad city.

Reports from Surat said except for stray incidents of stone throwing and arson past midnight, the situation in the curfew-bound Ankleshwar town was under control on Wednesday.

Police said a mob set a private luxury bus on fire on the Andhada road in Ankleshwar, after asking the workers of a private company, travelling in the vehicle, to get off.

PTI

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