Two persons have been arrested by the police following an attack on a procession in Maharashtra's Thane district earlier this week, officials said on January 24. The incident occurred in Padgha area on Monday during the consecration of Lord Ram's idol at the Ayodhya temple.
This is the third incident reported in this district.
Earlier, members of two communities clashed during a vehicle rally organised in the Muslim-dominated Naya Nagar locality in the district on Sunday night following which 13 people were taken in custody.
On Tuesday, "illegal" roadside stalls in the Naya Nagar area were demolished by the local civic body using bulldozers. The action was taken a day after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warned of strict action against rioters. To bring the situation under control the authorities deployed riot police for patrolling.
While the civic authorities claim that 15 shops were demolished, locals put the number at 20. Mohammad Abdul Hussain Shaikh, in his 60s, has been running his car workshop for the past two decades. No demolitions have happened in the past, he said, adding, “I have all the required documents for my shop. They didn’t ask for anything, they pulled my hand dragged me outside and crushed everything with a bulldozer. I have lost good worth ₹8 lakh.”
A sweet shop owner who (refused to be named) had recently renovated his shop. He said, “My entire shop is rubble now. I had invested ₹5 lakhs just two months ago to renovate the shop.”
Narendra Chavan, Assistant Commissioner, Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation, who led the demolitions said no “legal notice was given to anyone because they were operating businesses illegally on land belonging to the corporation. We are following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s order to keep our neighbourhood neat and clean under Swachch Bharat Abhiyan.”
He said, “Between January 2023 and August 2023 we demolished 386 illegal shops.” He also refuted claims that only one community was targeted. “Of the 15 shops demolished on Tuesday, only eight belong to Muslims.”
On Monday, a procession taken out in Mira Road area of Thane district on the occasion of the Ram temple idol consecration in Ayodhya was pelted with stones by miscreants.
Giving details of another incident in Borivali village of Padgha area, an official said the attack took place at around 8:30 p.m. on Monday.
The victims, travelling on motorcycles and on foot as part of the procession, were allegedly intercepted and assaulted by a group of nearly 15 armed individuals using iron rods, wooden sticks, and sharp objects.
The attackers also vandalised several motorcycles and tore a saffron flag bearing the image of Lord Ram, the official from Padgha police station said.
The police have registered offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and have apprehended two of the accused, he said.
The hunt is going on for the remaining individuals involved in the incident, the police added.
Amid continuing tension, the police warned people not to circulate messages or fake news on social media which may hurt religious sentiments. Shrikant Pathak, Additional Commissioner of Police, Mira-Bhayandar said, “We have registered 10 FIRs, of these two under IT Act, since January 21, and arrested 19 people so far. We are scanning CCTV footage to identify other culprits. Action will also be taken against those posting instigating messages on social media and provoking people’s sentiments.”
(With inputs from PTI)
Published - January 24, 2024 01:15 pm IST
