Twenty-three people, arrested in connection with violence at a rally at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, and organisers of the protest have been slapped with murder
charge, police said.
Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code has been invoked against them, they said. The rally, to protest the riots in Assam and the alleged
victimisation of Muslims in Myanmar, had been organised by city-based Raza Academy and some other groups.
Two persons were killed and at least 55 others, including 45 policemen, were injured in the violence that erupted during the protest.
The arrested were produced this afternoon before a court which remanded them in police custody till August 19.
The weapons snatched by the mob from police personnel (2 self-loading rifles and a pistol) were yet to be recovered, they told the court.
The defence counsel said the accused were not involved in the violence, and were arrested when they went back to pick up their motor-cycles parked near the scene of violence.