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Fernandes tours Ahmedabad, two army brigades for Gujarat

Talking to reporters in Ahmedabad, Fernandes said a brigade was already in Ahmedabad and another would be coming in shortly.

Nine columns have been allotted to the Ahmedabad commissionerate while the remaining four of the existing brigade would be moved to Baroda, Rajkot and Godhra, he said.

Fernandes said the army would stage flag marches in Ahmedabad and other places as it was through with the process of reconnaissance work.

He asked the people to remain indoors as curfew was in force and sought their cooperation in restoring normalcy in the trouble-torn state and said, "We cannot reclaim anything by violence."

Fernandes, who went around the violence-hit areas of the city in the morning along with Minister of State for Defence Production Harin Pathak and senior defence officials, earlier held discussions with Police Commissioner P C Pandey.

Senior police officials, namely Gurdial Singh, Pramod Kumar also took part in the discussions after Fernandes drove in from Gandhinagar where he was putting up since his arrival on Thursday night.

Fernandes had on Thursday night also held discussions with Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar.

Later, Police Commissioner Pandey told reporters that nine columns of the army to be deployed in Ahmedabad would be enough. One column roughly comprises around 450 personnel, he added.

He denied that there was any delay in requisitioning the help of the army.

Pandey said the situation in the city was tense but under control, adding that stray incidents of violence continued in some parts.

Pandey said the army would be deployed in places where people of mixed population resided.

PTI

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