UNI 

Mumbai, Mar 20:The satellite towns in Navi Mumbai, which witnessed violence for the past four days, were fast returning to normalcy on Sunday.

The towns had been rocked by violence over a petty issue of eve-teasing of a girl from the 'mathadi' workers colony by some village youths of Ghansoli, on the day of Holi revelry.

The rioting had resulted in police firing on March 16, killing two persons, while another person was killed in group clashes.

Curfew had been clamped in the jurisdiction of the Kopar Khairne police station since yesterday noon, after members of the Agri community indulged inrenewed violence. They  were locked in a pitched battle with the police who had to burst tear gas shells and resort to a lathicharge.

The curfew was relaxed for a few hours today, and then reinforced as a precautionary measure, even though the markets had opened in the major towns of Vashi, Nerul, Jui Nagar and Turbhe.

With autorickshaws plying as usual and roadside tea stalls, STD booths and cigarette kiosks opening, business returned to near normalcy after almost four days of violence.

A total of 109 people have been arrested on charges of rioting since the violence erupted at Ghansoli on March 15 evening, Sub Inspector Hemant Bhat at the Navi Mumbai control room said.

The police had launched heavy combing operations in the past two days to book the rioters.

Bhat said that the situation in the township was 'under control' with no untoward incident having been reported since last night, even as an uneasy calm prevailed at Kopar Khairne Sunday morning.

On Sunday, the police were seen dissuading the public from tragelling out of Kopar Khairne, and also blocking those coming in at Vashi, according to residents there.

Deputy Chief Minister R Patil, who also holds the home portfolio, after a meeting with representatives of the Agri community, mathadi workers, local politicians and police officers yesterday evening, had announced the transfer of Inspector Shamsher Pathan, who had been accused of 'mishandling' the situation at Ghansoli.

An inquiry by an officer of the rank of additional director general of police was also ordered to restore peace in Navi Mumbai.

Violent mobs had attacked the Nerul and Rabale police stations on March 17 evening and Saturday morning respectively.

Of the 75-odd people injured in the group clashes, 20 were policemen, including additional commissioner of police Paramjit Singh from the Mumbai police, who was sent there on special duty.