CURFEWS RELAXED, BUT BOMBAY STILL TENSE

Police and troops relaxed curfews in riot-torn areas of Bombay for six hours yesterday saying the wave of Hindu-Muslim bloodshed that has killed more than 500 people was receding.

As businesses reopened, the city struggled to get back to normal though many areas remained tense. Bombay police chief Srikant Bapat said the level of violence was substantially lower than over the past few days.

Officials said Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao was scheduled to visit Bombay today.