Bangalore: A day after police firing sparked by communalclashes left one person dead and several injured, tension simmered in Bangaloretoday (Jan 22, 2007).

 But authorities saidthey were confident peace would return soon.

A 12-year-old boy was killed and at least 22 people wereinjured when the police opened fire to chase away mobs that attacked them andalso vandalised private and public property in the residential-cum-commercialareas of the city's eastern districts.

Curfew was clamped in many parts of east Bangalore including Bharati Nagar, Frazertown and Commercial Street.

"There is a lot of fear among people and no one wantsto risk their life as there has been a lot of violence in the city sinceFriday," said Sangmesh, a steward at the EdenParkrestaurant.

The violent clashes started Friday after people protestedviolently against the hanging of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein incommunally sensitive areas with a large Muslim population.

On Sunday, several shops and buses were also set ablaze inthe clashes. A Virat Hindu Samavesha, organised by the ruling Bharatiya JanataParty (BJP) in association with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, was being held inone of the violence-hit areas. 

"I have not seen such violence in the last six-sevenyears and I have asked my kids to not to venture out of home till Wednesday.Who knows what is going to happen this afternoon," Sangmesh told sources.

He added that there was at least a 40 percent drop in theirbusiness Sunday.

"This kind of violence has never been witnessed in thelast 10 years. Some violence and a curfew was seen here when Kannada actor RajKumar was kidnapped by forest brigand Veerappan a few years back," said Abdul.

"Though there is a lot of fear I have to earn money andlivelihood. As soon as the curfew was lifted in the morning I came to sellpapers again despite all the violence ...life goes on," Abdul added.

Anil, a manager of Hotel Gold Star at

At least 1,000 policemen have been deployed in theseviolence-prone areas and two platoons of the Rapid Action Force, along with thepolice, will conduct a flag march in the city to instil confidence in thepeople. All schools in the violence-hit areas will remain shut till Tuesday.

Said Bangalore Police Commissioner N. Achuta Rao, "Thesituation is under control and we are trying our best to bring peace to thecity after three days of violence. There was a lot of violence Sunday as mobstorched buses, stabbed each other, pelted stones at vehicles despite all ourefforts. They forced us to open fire and one person was killed."