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AHMEDABAD, India, Jan 6 (AFP) - Curfew was re-imposed Monday in Lunavada town in riot-scarred Gujarat state in western India, amid fresh communal violence, police said.

The curfew had been imposed Thursday after several areas reported heavy stone throwing, arson and looting in the town 130 kilometers (81 miles) from here. It was lifted for several hours, but communal violence in Mandvi ended the brief respite, despite no reports of casualties.

"We had relaxed curfew for a few hours in the afternoon but had to clamp it again as a precautionary measure after an incident of rioting in Mandvi area of the town," said N.D. Solanki, superintendent of police.

"In a few hours of the curfew being lifted, there was stone-pelting and clashes between the Hindus and Muslims. The police lobbed several teargas shells to control the mob."

Muslims in the area said the marketplace was full of women purchasing vegetables and groceries when the violence erupted. Rations were slim after four days of curfew.

"Our women were buying vegetable and groceries when they were attacked in the Mandvi. Simultaneously, Muslims were also attacked in the Golwad area with soda bottles and burning rags, which were thrown on our terraces," a Muslim eyewitness said.

Anwar Adam, a resident of Lunavada, said Muslims were moving to other parts of town for fear they would be arrested.

"Almost always after such incidents, the police comes and arrests innocent Muslims. That is why they have left their homes and gone to their relative in other areas," he said.

Solanki said police were looking for rioters and said they "have started the process of arresting the culprits."

Sectarian riots have been almost a daily occurrence in the wealthy western state since a train car in Godhra town carrying 58 Hindu pilgrims was torched last February by a mob allegedly of Muslims.

In the worst rioting witnessed in past 50 years in India, 2,000 people, mostly Muslim, were killed and thousands of Muslims were made homeless after the Godhra incident. 

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