PUNE: In the aftermath of communal violence reported in Amravati, Nanded, Malegaon and other parts of Maharashtra following a march organised by the Raza Academy on November 12 to protest the alleged fighting in Tripura, the Pune district administration on Sunday imposed section 144 in rural areas.
According to the superintendent of police (Pune rural) Abhinav Deshmukh, district collector Dr Rajesh Deshmukh has imposed section 144 in the rural areas of Pune district for seven days to prevent any untoward incident. The rural SP in his order said that the collector’s order is effective from Sunday till November 20. The preventive order prohibits persons from posting or sharing communal or objectionable content on social media, including YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. “If there is any such post in WhatsApp groups, the group admin will be held responsible. There will be restriction on gatherings of five or more people at any place. No person shall organise any meeting. Also, nobody shall carry any weapon or stick. There is a ban on displaying provocative slogans,” the order stated.
The administration said that the order has been issued to ensure that anti-social elements do not take advantage of the situation to incite violence among various groups. The district collector said, “It is a preventive order aimed at maintaining peace in the area. We appeal to the people to avoid rumours and ensure that nothing untoward takes place.”
{{/usCountry}}The administration said that the order has been issued to ensure that anti-social elements do not take advantage of the situation to incite violence among various groups. The district collector said, “It is a preventive order aimed at maintaining peace in the area. We appeal to the people to avoid rumours and ensure that nothing untoward takes place.”
{{/usCountry}}Earlier on Friday, protest rallies turned violent in Nanded, Malegaon and Amravati with mobs pelting stones at police vans and two police personnel sustaining injuries at Deglur naka and Shivaji nagar. Protestors were also seen torching shops and police vehicles in Malegaon and Amravati, following which the riot squad was called in to quell the protests. In response to the violent march, BJP called an Amravati bandh on Saturday which also turned violent with stones being pelted at various shops as mobs gathered at Rajkamal chowk and some of the city’s old parts. As a preventive measure, the local administration in Amravati has imposed a curfew in the district for three days.