E-Paper
Seven injured in clash between two groups in Ahmednagar; 19 held
Violent clashes between two groups in Gajrajnagar, Ahmednagar, left seven injured. The violence was sparked by a WhatsApp status post that caused conflict between the groups. Nineteen people have been arrested on charges of rioting, violence and vandalism, and have been booked under several Indian Penal Code sections. The injured were admitted to the ICU of Ahmednagar civil hospital, and police have appealed to residents to maintain peace and ignore social media posts based on rumours.
Seven persons were injured in violent clashes between two groups on Tuesday in Gajrajnagar, Ahmednagar. A WhatsApp status post caused a conflict between two groups and led to violence, said police.
The police till Wednesday evening arrested 19 persons on charges of rioting, violence and vandalism and they have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 323,435,427,143,147,149 and 504. The accused are currently in judicial custody of MIDC police.
According to Yogesh Chaher, police sub-inspector, both the groups are known to each other. “One group was angry with complainant Satish Kardile who had kept his status message where he had posted his picture with that of a right-wing Hindutva leader. It angered the rival group and the issue escalated into a clash,” said Chaher.
When Kardile, along with his friends, was passing through the area, they were stopped by another group. A verbal argument resulted in a fight followed by stone pelting.
Ahmednagar police officials said, the clash was followed by heavy stone pelting in which a car and two-wheelers parked in the neighbourhood were damaged.
An uneasy calm prevailed in the city on the second day of the incident as police teams have been dispatched to identify the miscreants
The injured have been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Ahmednagar civil hospital. Following the incident, the Ahmednagar police have intensified patrolling in Mukundnagar, Zendigate, Sarjepura and Gajrajnagar areas of the city and a heavy posse of policemen have been deployed to ward off any future clashes.
The police have appealed to residents not to believe in social media posts based on rumours and to maintain peace in the city.
Rakesh Ola, Ahmednagar superintendent of police, who has been camping at the site, said, “A confrontation between two groups resulted in stone-pelting and burning of some vehicles. The situation is under control and FIR has been registered in connection with the incident.”
The FIR has been lodged against 30 to 40 unidentified persons at Bhingar Camp police station.
The injured have been identified as Satish Sahebrao Kardile (26), Deepak Suresh Bankhele (22) and five others.
Police said, a youth belonging to the rival group was assaulted which led to a revenge attack on the other group members.
Rajendra Sanap, MIDC police station incharge, was the first to reach the spot followed by Dinkar Munde, assistant police inspector attached to Bhingar police station where the FIR has been lodged.
A huge crowd had gathered at the civil hospital where the injured were brought for treatment.
Jyoti Gadkari, Supa police station incharge, reached the spot and dispersed the crowd. At the same time, a crowd had gathered at Patrakar Chowk. The police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd in the area.
An eyewitness said, “We saw armed youths raising slogans and attacking people in the clash-prone area. I was attacked and suffered a head injury during the melee.”
