Incidents of stone-pelting during protests against recent communal violence in Tripura were reported in Nashik, Amravati and Nanded districts of Maharashtra on November 12, following which State Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil appealed people to maintain peace.
Some Muslim organization had given call for a Bandh (shut-down) to protest against the incidents targeting the minority community in the north-eastern State.
Stone-pelting took place at Malegaon, a communally sensitive town in Nashik district, during a protest march in the afternoon, said a police official.
Police used lathi-charge to disperse the mob, he said.
“The situation in Malegaon is completely under control now. Senior government and police officials are camping there. People should not believe any rumours,” Nashik Collector Suraj Mandhare said.
Bandh was also observed in Bhadrakali and Old Nashik city areas.
In Amravati city, over eight thousand people gathered outside the District Collector's office to submit a memorandum demanding that atrocities against the minority community should be stopped, officials said.
When people were leaving after submitting the memorandum, stone-pelting took place at three places between Chitra Chowk and Cotton Market.
In Nanded, stones were pelted at police vans and two police personnel sustained injuries, a police official said.
The situation was under control at all these places and FIRs were being registered, he added.
Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said in a statement that the protest marches taken out in the State against the violence against the Muslim community in Tripura took a violent turn in some places, but the situation was under control.
He appealed to people in Maharashtra to maintain peace and not to believe rumours. Those found responsible for the violence during the protests would be punished, he assured.
Police should handle the situation with restraint and ensure that no law and order issue arises, Mr. Walse-Patil added.
Congress leader and State PWD minister Ashok Chavan also appealed people to maintain peace.
Raza Academy, a Muslim organisation, handed over a memorandum to Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. Those affected by the violence in Tripura should be given compensation and the mosques which were damaged should be reconstructed, it demanded.
Bandh was also observed in Muslim-dominated areas of Mumbai including Bhendi Bazar, Mohammad Ali Road, Kurla as well as Mumbra and Bhiwandi in Thane. BJP leader and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the State government should act immediately to bring the situation under control, claiming that some people were trying to "capitalize on the purported violence in Tripura".
State BJP president Chandrakant Patil said "it was unnecessary for the Muslim community here to react to an incident in Tripura and purported violence." "There are some elements among them which defame the entire community. The Muslim community should teach a lesson to such elements," he said.
