Gorakhpur (UP): Barring stray incidents of burning of effigies of UttarPradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in rural areas and some districts ofeastern UP, the situation was by and large peaceful and curfew relaxed in allthe four areas of the city till evening today (Feb 6, 2007).

Curfew was relaxed from 9 am to 6 pm as bus services in the state resumed aftera gap of eight days. Buses to Mau, Azamgarh and Varanasi started plying. Regional Manager ofUttar Pradesh transport Ramjit Verma said that a full-fledged service wouldstart in a couple of days.

The bus service from Gorakhpurto various destinations was stopped following violence during Muharramprocession on January 27.

Commercial establishments and government offices have started functioning.

Incidents of burning effigy of the Chief Minister were received from adjoiningdistricts of Deoria, Basti, Kushinagar and Siddharthanagar.

Meanwhile BJP leaders and saints have started relay fast in Gorakhnath Mandircampus here to press for their demand for early release of the jailed BJP MPYogi Adityanath.

A local court is to give its verdict today on alleged illegal detention of theMP.

Curfew was imposed here on 27th January in three police station areas ofKotwali, Rajghat and Tiwaripur after communal violence in which two personslost their lives and later it was extended to Gorakhnath police station areafollowing ransacking and burning of government vehicles.