As a number of clashes around religious processions come up across states, one was reported in in Mumbai’s Aarey Colony in Goregaon on Sunday night, during a ‘Kalash Yatra’ held near a temple.
Eight to ten people were seriously injured in the violence, and an FIR has been filed against 20 people. More people are likely to be booked, police told News18.
Meanwhile, curfew was clamped in Achalpur city in Amravati district of Maharashtra after members of two communities pelted each other with stones over the removal of religious flags and police responded by firing tear gas shells, officials said on Monday. Additional Superintendent of Police, Shashikant Satav, said that 22 persons from both the groups have been taken into custody after the incident which occurred around Sunday midnight and the situation is under control now. The exact number of injured persons is not known yet. Police said residents put up flags of various religions atop the Khidki Gate and the Dulha Gate at the main entrance of Achalpur, located 48 km away from Amravati distric headquarters, every year during various festivals.
“On Sunday midnight, some anti-social elements removed flags of religion, leading to an altercation which escalated into stone-pelting. Police used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd,” a police inspector said. However, the timely intervention by SRPF (State Reserve Police Force) and local police brought the situation under control, he added.
In Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, where clashes had taken place during a Hanuman Jayanti procession earlier, another person was detained by police from the spot. Security forces are patrolling the area, and Delhi police has employed drones to watch over sensitive areas in the city.
Authorities in various states had been on their guard as Hanuman Jayanti had approached, fearing clashes similar to those seen during Ram Navami processions earlier. While many of the events took place smoothly, tensions erupted in some areas.
Incidents of communal flare-up during Hanuman Jayanti processions were reported from Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand while a mob went on a rampage, attacking police personnel, a hospital and a temple in Huballi in Karnataka over a social media post on Sunday, as well.
In the national capital, 20 people were arrested and two juveniles apprehended, while security was stepped up following clashes between two communities on Saturday when a Hanuman Jayanti procession was passing through Jahangirpuri. Eight cops and a civilian were injured in the violence.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been clamped in Hubballi city in Karnataka and 40 people arrested after the violence that left 12 police personnel injured.
According to Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Labhu Ram, a police complaint had been lodged on an objectionable social media post after which a person was arrested. Not satisfied with the action, some people gathered around the police station but were persuaded to disperse.
Around midnight, a large number of people once again started gathering around the police station and indulged in heavy stone-pelting. About a dozen police officers have sustained injuries, the police said, adding several police vehicles, a nearby hospital and a Hanuman temple were damaged. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai termed it an organised attack and said the state will not tolerate such incidents.
In Uttarakhand, stones were pelted at a Hanuman Jayanti procession while it was crossing through a village in Bhagwanpur area near Roorkee in Haridwar district on Saturday evening, leaving four persons injured.
Tension mounted in the area as people from adjoining villages gathered, but the timely intervention by police brought the situation under control, DIG Garhwal range K S Nagnyal said. Nine persons were arrested and an FIR against 13 was lodged in connection with the incident.
Stones were hurled at the procession from rooftops when it was passing through Dada Jalalpur village. It triggered a stampede-like situation as people in the procession began to run for cover but the police were informed immediately and the situation was brought under control, Haridwar’s SP (rural) Pramendra Dobhal said.
He said police and Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel have been deployed in the affected area.
With PTI inputs
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