Seven arrested for rioting in Vakola

Vakola police arrested seven for rioting and unlawful assembly after a protest against the Pahalgam attack turned violent in Santacruz East.

The Vakola police arrested seven people on Sunday for unlawful assembly, rioting, and violently causing hurt after a fight broke out between two communities who had gathered to protest in Santacruz East on Saturday evening against the Pahalgam terror attack.

(Shutterstock)

According to the police, over 50 people from each community had gathered at Vakola on Saturday evening to condemn the deadly terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed. What was meant to be an expression of grief and solidarity took a violent turn when an argument broke out between the two communities. A few people from each group began fighting, resulting in injuries to others who were later taken to VN Desai Hospital, police said.

A senior police officer said the cops immediately reached the spot to control the situation after the fight broke out, with a few people being detained on the spot for inquiry. After verifying the details, seven people were arrested, said the police officer.

Another police officer said that around 50 people from one community gathered, shouting slogans, at the Nehru Nagar area in Santacruz (East). A group from another community then reached there and began fighting with the other community. “It seems they had a previous issue unresolved, and also took this as a chance to fight,” the officer said. The fight resulted in ransacked shops and vandalised vehicles, the officer added.

The police have collected CCTV footage to identify the other people involved. The Vakola police registered a suo-moto (on their own) case under sections 189 (unlawful assembly), 191 (rioting) and 115 (2) (assault) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.