Nandurbar was relatively calm on Thursday, as the district administration imposed a curfew to control communal riots that erupted in the city on Tuesday night. Two people were killed and several others injured, after a petty fight between members of two communities spiralled into stone-pelting incidents in the rest of the city, Nandurbar distract administration officials said.
The police had arrested 91 people till Thursday evening, Nandurbar SP Sharada Raut said. “The situation is under control now. We have started investigating the case,” Ms. Raut told The Hindu on Thursday. The curfew will continue till Friday morning.
Rumour sparks trouble
According to Nandurbar Collector A.T. Kumbhar, the riots were a result of a rumour that one group had attacked a Ganpati procession.
“Two groups of youngsters got into a brawl. There was stone-pelting between them. When the incident occurred at 6.30 p.m., there was a Ganpati procession passing by, which gave rise to the rumour that the procession was targeted. It was then that the situation went haywire,” Mr. Kumbhar said. Stone-pelting incidents followed.
Stoned by rioters
On Tuesday night, Sheikh Ashfaq Shamsuddin, 41, was caught by the rioters and stoned.
He was later taken to the Nandurbar Civil Hospital, where he succumbed to the wounds, Mr. Kumbhar said.
On Wednesday morning, Assistant Agriculture Officer Krishna Kokani was attacked with a sickle.
“He was taken to the civil hospital immediately, and then transferred to the Dhule Civil hospital. But he succumbed to the wounds on the way to Dhule.”
Chirag Galli and Maliwada where the trouble began have a high density of Hindus and Muslims.
Innocent victims
“The petty quarrel resulted in the death of two completely innocent people,” Mr. Kumbhar regretted.
“We will review the situation on Friday morning. If the fear has subsided, we will lift the curfew,” he said.
