Maharashtra Violence: One Dead As Situation In Akola, Shevgaon Returns To Normal. 130 Detained, Internet Shut

Clashes broke out on Saturday night in the Old City area of Akola over a religious post on social media while violence erupted in Shevgaon village over a procession on Sunday night.

Police and other security personnel deployed after a clash broke out between members of two communities over a social media post on Saturday, in Akola

Source : PTI

Situation in Maharashtra’s Akola city and Shevgaon village in Ahmednagar district remained normal on Monday after communal violence broke out on Saturday night which left one person dead and 13 injured. 130 people have been detained so far as the police are posed with a challenge to prevent potential flare ups in other areas, reported PTI. The clashes broke out on Saturday night in the sensitive Old City area of Akola over a religious post on social media, prompting the police to clamp curfew in some pockets, police had said.

Stones were hurled by the members of the two groups at each other who also indulged in large-scale vandalism. The rioters also set fire to some two-wheelers and four-wheelers. 

In Shevgaon village of west Maharashtra under Ahmednagar district, at least five people were reported injured in a clash over a procession on Sunday night. Several shops and vehicles were damaged in stone pelting, police said on Monday, as per the PTI report. 

Following the incidents, 132 people were detained — 100 in Akola and 32 in Shevgaon — while cases were registered against 150 people in Shevgaon, located 65 km from the Ahmednagar district headquarters, an official said.

Curfew Imposed, Internet Shut

Akola District Magistrate Nima Arora ordered a curfew in four police station areas of the city to maintain law and order, reported the news agency. 

The curfew was relaxed in areas under the jurisdiction of City Kotwali and Ramdas Peth police station limits on Monday, said an official. However, it will remain in force within the limits of Dabki Road and Old City police stations at night (between 8 pm and 8 am), while some relaxations will be provided during day time, he said.

Internet services also remained suspended in Akola and Shevgaon to check the spread of rumours, officials said.

CM Orders Action, Dy CM Claim Some People And Organisation Behind Violence 

On Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde instructed the police to take strict action against those behind the riots in Akola and Shevgaon and appealed to people to maintain peace and social harmony, said his office.

“The situation in Akola and Shevgaon is now under control and the police force is deployed. On the instructions of state home minister Devendra Fadnavis, state rural development minister Girish Mahajan has personally visited Akola while revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil reviewed the situation in Shegaon,” the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a statement.

Meanwhile Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed that there were some people and organisations that “want the state to remain unstable.” 

“But the government will expose them and also teach them a lesson”.

 State Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan claimed that the violence was possibly “pre-planned” and announced financial assistance of Rupees 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased people. 

Opposition Targets Shinde Government 

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Aurangabad MP Chandrakant Khaire claimed that riots were being instigated in Maharashtra to stop Muslim votes from shifting towards the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Ever since the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis coalition has come to power, communal tensions have been taking place, Khaire alleged.