Ahmedabad: A group of women pelted stones at policemen in Baharkot area of the trouble-hit Veraval town in Gujarat during curfew relaxation today (July 28, 2004).

"The trouble started just 15 minutes before the curfew relaxation was to end at 12 noon when a group of women in Baharkot area began pelting stones at police demanding that their relatives, who were rounded up by the police in connection with Friday's (July 23, 2004) violence, Junagadh district collector Rohit Pathak said in Ahmedabad. The women were agitated over the men in their families being rounded up by police since July 26 in connection with violence, Pathak said.

"A group of women threw stones and plastic bottles at the police, which retaliated by bursting tear gas shells," the collector said adding, "however, no one was injured."

The coastal town of Veraval, about 400 kms from Ahmedabad, has been reeling under tension since July 26 after an alleged eve-teasing incident took an ugly turn leaving two persons dead and eight injured in communal clashes between Muslims and Kharva (fishermen) communities.

The frenzied mobs had also resorted to large-scale arson burning at least 50 shops and looting showrooms.