By Online Desk
AKOLA: Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Monday claimed that the clash between members of two communities in Akola which claimed one person’s life and left nine others injured was possibly “pre-planned”.
Reports say the violence, which took place in the sensitive Old City area of Akola, was triggered by a social media post on a controversial film, The Kerala Story.
According to a BBC report, over 100 people have been arrested in the Maharashtra town after one person died and eight others were injured in communal clashes.
Police said that violence first began on Saturday when members of a community gathered outside a police station in Akola to protest against a social media post about the film.
Reports say it was a screenshot of a conversation between two residents which was shared on Instagram by one of them.
A police official told Indian Express that some messages in the chat “hurt the religious sentiments” of the other person but did not give any details.
Members of the two groups pelted stones at each other and indulged in large-scale vandalism.
The rioters set on fire some two-wheelers and four-wheelers during the violence.
Authorities cut Internet services and imposed a curfew to bring the situation under control. A female constable was among those who were injured in the clashes.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s office appealed for peace and instructed the state police to take strict action against those who participated in the violence, as stated by BBC.
#UPDATE | Tension prevailed between the two communities over hurting religious sentiments. Stone pelting happened, vehicles were also damaged. Heavy police deployment is there in the city. One was brought dead to Civil Hospital, but we are investigating it. As of now, 26 people… pic.twitter.com/oZ8UZKafnA
— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2023
The police have detained 26 people in connection with the incident and deployed heavy security in the violence-hit areas, officials told PTI. The person killed in the violence has been identified as Vilas Gaikwad (40), they said.
After the incident, District Magistrate Neema Arora ordered the imposition of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which prohibits unlawful assembly of people, in four police station areas of the city to maintain law and order.
State Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan visited the riot-affected area on Sunday.
Talking to reporters, he said, “It is suspected that the incident was pre-planned. Some houses and vehicles were damaged. Strict action would be taken against the culprits.”
Mahajan also met the family of the man killed in the violence and expressed condolence.
He also inspected the violence-affected areas near Rajarajeshwar temple and Harihar Peth in Akola.
Mahajan said state Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced assistance of Rs 4 lakh for the family of the person killed in the violence.
He assured that the government would extend its support to the deceased’s family members, who are from a poor financial background.
VIDEO | Section 144 imposed in parts of Maharashtra’s Akola city following a clash between members of two communities on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/JAjN7Xi07G
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 14, 2023
In Aurangabad, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former MP Chandrakant Khaire claimed that riots were being instigated in Maharashtra to stop Muslim votes from shifting towards the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Ever since the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis coalition has come to power, communal tensions are taking place, Khaire claimed.
Meanwhile, at least five persons were injured in a communal clash over a procession in Shevgaon village in Ahmednagar district where several shops and vehicles were damaged in stone pelting, police said on Monday.
Police have detained 32 people so far and registered cases against 150 others after the incident on Sunday night, an official said.
(With PTI inputs)
AKOLA: Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Monday claimed that the clash between members of two communities in Akola which claimed one person’s life and left nine others injured was possibly “pre-planned”.
Reports say the violence, which took place in the sensitive Old City area of Akola, was triggered by a social media post on a controversial film, The Kerala Story.
According to a BBC report, over 100 people have been arrested in the Maharashtra town after one person died and eight others were injured in communal clashes.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Police said that violence first began on Saturday when members of a community gathered outside a police station in Akola to protest against a social media post about the film.
Reports say it was a screenshot of a conversation between two residents which was shared on Instagram by one of them.
A police official told Indian Express that some messages in the chat “hurt the religious sentiments” of the other person but did not give any details.
Members of the two groups pelted stones at each other and indulged in large-scale vandalism.
The rioters set on fire some two-wheelers and four-wheelers during the violence.
Authorities cut Internet services and imposed a curfew to bring the situation under control. A female constable was among those who were injured in the clashes.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s office appealed for peace and instructed the state police to take strict action against those who participated in the violence, as stated by BBC.
#UPDATE | Tension prevailed between the two communities over hurting religious sentiments. Stone pelting happened, vehicles were also damaged. Heavy police deployment is there in the city. One was brought dead to Civil Hospital, but we are investigating it. As of now, 26 people… pic.twitter.com/oZ8UZKafnA
— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2023
The police have detained 26 people in connection with the incident and deployed heavy security in the violence-hit areas, officials told PTI. The person killed in the violence has been identified as Vilas Gaikwad (40), they said.
After the incident, District Magistrate Neema Arora ordered the imposition of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which prohibits unlawful assembly of people, in four police station areas of the city to maintain law and order.
State Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan visited the riot-affected area on Sunday.
Talking to reporters, he said, “It is suspected that the incident was pre-planned. Some houses and vehicles were damaged. Strict action would be taken against the culprits.”
Mahajan also met the family of the man killed in the violence and expressed condolence.
He also inspected the violence-affected areas near Rajarajeshwar temple and Harihar Peth in Akola.
Mahajan said state Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced assistance of Rs 4 lakh for the family of the person killed in the violence.
He assured that the government would extend its support to the deceased’s family members, who are from a poor financial background.
VIDEO | Section 144 imposed in parts of Maharashtra’s Akola city following a clash between members of two communities on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/JAjN7Xi07G
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 14, 2023
In Aurangabad, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former MP Chandrakant Khaire claimed that riots were being instigated in Maharashtra to stop Muslim votes from shifting towards the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Ever since the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis coalition has come to power, communal tensions are taking place, Khaire claimed.
Meanwhile, at least five persons were injured in a communal clash over a procession in Shevgaon village in Ahmednagar district where several shops and vehicles were damaged in stone pelting, police said on Monday.
Police have detained 32 people so far and registered cases against 150 others after the incident on Sunday night, an official said.
(With PTI inputs)
