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AHMEDABAD, INDIA, JULY 12, 2002: The Jagannath Rath Yatra, an annual religious event in which a chariot is drawn for eight miles through the streets of Ahmedabad, has been conducted peacefully, despite fears that it might trigger a resurgence of religious violence that erupted there earlier this year. Thousands of troops and police had taken up positions along the route in case of trouble. Senior police officer, Satish Sharma, said police in Ahmedabad had recovered a large cache of weapons on the route of the procession, including rocket launchers and hand grenades, allegedly stockpiled by a Muslim man whose son was killed in the riots. However, the hard work had paid off and there were no reports of clashes, he said. Local Hindu officials also scaled down the march into order to avoid tensions with the city’s Muslim community. Mahendra Jha, coordinator of the Jagannath Temple, reported only 35 trucks, instead of the usual 125, and 15 Hindu organizations, instead of the 31 seen in previous years, were taking part. While the procession did pass through some Muslim areas, most of the inhabitants were reported to have left their homes for relief camps, fearing violence.

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