Five people including four police and state home guard personnel were injured during communal clashes in Shevgaon town of Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra Sunday night. The police have till now arrested over 30 people and booked around 150 for the violence.
Meanwhile, in a tweet from the Chief MinisterтАЩs Office, CM Eknath Shinde has warned of stringent action against those spreading communal hatred and endangering social harmony against the backdrop of communal clashes in Akola and Ahmednagar districts on Saturday and Sunday.
Officials from the Ahmednagar district police said that the incident took place during a procession taken out in Shevgaon town around 9 pm Sunday to mark the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Shevgaon, which is the taluka headquarters in Ahmednagar, is located around 65 kilometres from Ahmednagar city and 190 kilometres northeast of Pune city.
тАЬThe incident took place during a procession taken out to mark the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The preliminary cause seems some slogans chanted at the time of the procession. Considerable police force was deployed with immediate effect and the situation was brought under control,тАЭ said BG Shekhar, special inspector general of police for Nashik range. Shekhar denied reports which claimed that internet service had been suspended in Shevgaon.
Rakesh Ola, Ahmednagar district superintendent of police, said: тАЬWhen the procession came to Shivaji Chowk area of Shevgaon, some slogans were exchanged in front of a mosque, which led to arguments and the situation escalated to stone pelting. Four persons тАУ police and home guard тАУ have been injured in stone pelting. One person, a civilian, sustained an injury in an attack with a sharp weapon. Two separate offences have been registered. Some vehicles and shops have also been damaged during the incident.
тАЬIn the case of the attack on personnel, we have invoked provisions related to causing grievous hurt to public servants, among others. Another offence has been registered in the case of an attack by a sharp weapon on a private person. We have invoked attempted murder charges in this case. The situation was brought under control around 11 pm on Sunday and has remained so since. Neither the internet services were suspended nor did we issue any prohibitory orders.тАЭ
Ajit Patil, deputy superintendent of police (Shevgaon division), said: тАЬWe have arrested over 30 persons and have booked over 150 more in the two separate cases registered at Shevgaon police station.тАЭ
The violence in Ahmednagar was reported a day after communal clashes broke out over an objectionable social media post in the Akola district of Maharashtra. One person was killed and eight more were injured in the violence. The police had filed cases against more than 100 persons from both sides.
A tweet in Marathi by the Chief MinisterтАЩs Office of Maharashtra on Monday night reads, тАЬChief Minister Eknath Shinde ordered stringent action against those responsible for the riots in Akola and Shevgaon. The chief minister also appealed to citizens for their cooperation in maintaining social harmony by taking care that no oneтАЩs sentiments are hurt. The situation is now under control in Akola and Shevgaon and adequate police deployment has been made. Minister for Rural Development Girish Mahajan has visited Akola and Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil has visited Shevgaon and have taken stock of the situation. Strictest possible action will be taken against those who spread communal hatredтАж The chief minister urged citizens to exercise caution while posting anything on social media platforms. He urged citizens to make sure that their posts do not lead to communal tension or hurt anyoneтАЩs sentiments.тАЭ
In the first week of April, clashes between two communities were reported in Ahmednagar city following a petty dispute between two local groups in the Warulwadi area. The clashes triggered further violence in two more localities of the city.
