Maharashtra, November 13:
A curfew has been imposed in Amravati city following further incidents of violence on Saturday morning when a huge mob of hundreds went on a rampage, destroying shops and private property, while the local police, greatly outnumbered, failed to stop them despite a lathicharge. The Maharashtra Police later dispatched four companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and another 125 police personnel to rein in the mob.
Around 10 am, several news channels showed a mob destroying shops in the presence of police officers, including a woman police officer who is seen lathicharging them. A cop who tried to lathicharge the mob was brazenly confronted by the men who were seen yelling at him even as the woman officer tried to push them back, defending the official. News channels also showed several videos in which the police are seen trailing the mob and unsuccessfully trying to disperse them.
A senior Maharashtra Police official said on Saturday afternoon, “The violence is limited to Amravati city and the situation is now under control. We have sent four companies of SRPF and 125 police personnel and will send more if needed.” An Amravati police official confirmed the situation was tense, but was under control by afternoon, adding that a curfew has been imposed as a preventive measure.
The violence in Amravati began on Friday afternoon. But Saturday’s vandals are, however, said to be from a political party unlike on Friday when it was triggered by those from the minority community.
On Friday, violence broke out in Amravati, Nanded and Malegaon where some people from the minority community took out a rally without due police permission to protest against the reported violence in Tripura against members of the minority community. Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil had on Friday promised stern action against those indulging in violence and the state BJP had called for a bandh in Amravati till 4 pm Saturday to mark their protest against the violence.
Following Saturday’s violence, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told a news channel, “There was no reason for calling a bandh on Friday. The ones who called for the bandh must be behind the violence as well. Because Bhartiya Janata Party cannot do politics without using religious divide or caste divide or dangals (riots). The same picture can be seen in Amravati. The organisation (Raza Academy) that called for the protest does not have much value or strength to do violence. Raza Academy is said to be a sister concern of BJP.”
“This is a big conspiracy by the Opposition to destabilise Maharashtra and to create law and order problems. They used central agencies like ED, CBI, income tax and NCB first, but could not succeed. So now they are orchestrating riots to destabilise Maharashtra, but they will fail here too. The Raza Academy is not strong enough to orchestrate such violence and manpower has been provided to them for it.” Asked who was behind the violence, Raut said, “We will arrest and unmask them, the real mobsters are different. They (Opposition) are the biggest enemies of Maharashtra. People are watching and they know who is behind the violence.”
On Saturday, Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis said the rallies in Maharashtra to protest against the Tripura incident seem to be a well-orchestrated conspiracy to foment communal clashes, adding that it is unfortunate and does not augur well for the state. “It is my ardent appeal to people from both the communities to maintain peace. Nobody should indulge in any violence,” he said.
However, “what is shocking is that the protests have been based on a Tripura incident which did not take place at all. The Tripura government and police have clarified with pictures that no Masjid was torched.” Yet, some segment seems to have spread the rumours using social media to generate unrest,” Fadnavis alleged.
The former chief minister urged the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to initiate measures to restore communal harmony. He also demanded stern action against the ruling parties’ elected members and warned people who shared the dais with those protesting and making provocative speeches.
