Parbhani police arrest 54 in connection with violence over vandalised copy of constitution

Although life returned to normalcy on Thursday with the opening of shops, authorities suspended the state public transport bus services as a precaution

Mumbai: The police have arrested 54 people in connection with the violence in Parbhani on Wednesday during a bandh called to protest the vandalism of a replica of the Constitution near a statue of Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkar.

Parbhani: Security personnel patrol after violent protests took place for the second day over alleged vandalising of a replica of the Indian Constitution, in Parbhani, Maharashtra, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI12_11_2024_000226B) (PTI)

A day after protesters set vehicles ablaze and pelted stones at shops, leading to prohibitory orders being imposed, the authorities succeeded in restoring peace on Thursday. But it wasn’t long before political parties started trading barbs over the incident. While the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) accused the police of detaining innocent youths and demanded compensation for the people who suffered losses due to the violence, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis called the violence unnecessary and urged people to maintain peace.

The unrest began Tuesday evening when Sopan Pawar, a resident of Murtizapur village, allegedly vandalised a glass-encased replica of the Constitution kept at the base of Ambedkar’s statue near the district collector’s office. While local activists apprehended Pawar and handed him over to the police, a large group of protesters torched vehicles and pelted stones at shops during a bandh called by Ambedkarite activists in the city.

Around 250 police personnel have been deployed in several parts of Parbhani city to maintain law and order. Although life returned to normalcy on Thursday with the opening of shops, authorities suspended the state public transport bus services as a precaution. To avoid any damage to buses and to ensure passengers are safe, services to the neighbouring Jalna and Hingoli districts were suspended. Prohibitory orders banning gatherings of more than five people also continued in the city on Thursday.

“We have arrested 54 people in connection with the violence on Wednesday, and eight cases have been filed,” said Yashwant Kale, acting superintendent of police. “After the police produced them before a court, they have been sent to judicial and police custody. With two companies of the state reserve police force, around 250 police personnel in total have been deployed in various parts of the city to maintain law and order,” he added.

As the violence ended in Parbhani, politics over the incident started, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders slamming authorities for undertaking combing operations to arrest the people involved. With an eye on local body elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders announced their support for the Ambedkarite activists.

Leader of the opposition in the state legislative council, Ambadas Danve, reached Parbhani on Thursday afternoon and met delegations of residents and traders. He also visited the office of the Parbhani district magistrate Raghunath Gawade, where he expressed concern over the police’s combing operations and warned that the detention of innocent people could lead to more unrest. Danve also asked Gawade to asses the losses people suffered and give them compensation for it as soon as possible.

“The violence in Parbhani is a result of the authorities’ negligence,” said Danve. “If the administration and the police had acted on time after the vandalism of the Constitution replica, the violence could have been avoided. Now, the police are taking strict action, but they should not detain innocent people in the combing operation. I have raised this point in the meeting with district collector Gawade.”

When contacted, Gawade said the situation is under control and people are being detained only after looking at CCTV footage. “Leader of opposition Ambadas Danve met me and raised the issue of the combing operation by police. We have explained to him that the police are using CCTV footage to detain people involved in violence. Only after identifying and verifying the accused from CCTV footage, the police are taking action against them,” he said.

State Congress president Nana Patole demanded the suspension of the Parbhani superintendent of police and stringent punishment for those behind the vandalism of the Constitution replica. “While Parbhani was burning, the chief minister and the two deputy CMs were busy distributing ministries. People who do not respect the Constitution are in power, which is leading to such incidents,” Patole said.

While local activists had accused the police of trying to cover up the vandalism of the Constitution replica by declaring the accused, Pawar, as a mentally unstable person, chief minister Fadnavis rejected the claim. “I condemn the incident in Parbhani to vandalise the replica of the Constitution. It is clear that the accused person is mentally unstable, and the police took him into custody. So, the violence was unnecessary, and people should maintain peace,” Fadnavis told reporters.