‘Don’t believe in any rumours’: Nagpur Police chief appeals to citizens amid tensions
Nagpur, March 17 (IANS) Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal appealed to the citizens to cooperate with the administration in maintaining peace, and law and order.
He said that the clashes occur after a particular photo was burnt but there after peace was restored. The police have registered a case in this regard and the investigation is underway. However, thereafter some people gathered and engaged in verbal duel that led to tension.
He said that the police personnel including senior officers, State Reserve Police and Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed to restore normalcy.
The police officer admitted that there was stone pelting and the police are taking them into custody.
“My appeal to the citizens is that police are present on the ground. Do not believe in any rumours. Citizens can contact the control room. Do not venture out of homes if not necessary. Our action is underway,” he said.
He added that he has informed to the seniors including the state director general of police and additional director general of police about the incident and the action initiated by the police.
Police sources said that two groups entered into violent clashes in Mahal area of Nagpur city over the issue of destruction of Aurangzeb’s grave.
After some time stone pelting and arson started from both the sides in which few police personnel were injured.
Earlier, the activists from Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the morning held agitation at the Shivaji Chowk demanding the demolition of Aurangzeb’s grave.
They also burnt the effigy of Aurangzeb and tore a poster.
That led to a tension in the Mahal area.
The police sources said that additional police force was deployed to maintain law and order situation and the situation was brought under control.
However, violent clashes broke again between two groups in the evening when stone pelting and arson took place.
The police sources said that they used tear gas to disperse the mob and maintain law and order. Heavy stone pelting was made on police and fire brigade personnel.
Sources said some were throwing knives also at the police. Several vehicles were damaged in the stone pelting and arson.
Meanwhile, leader of opposition in the state council Ambadas Danve blamed the state government for today’s clashes of clashes in Nagpur.
“The government is responsible for creating tension by pitting Hindu and Muslim communities against each other. It is ironical that even though the chief minister and home minister hail from Nagpur, the police were clueless,” he claimed.
NCP SP legislator Rohit Pawar slammed the state government for today’s violent clashes at Nagpur.
In his reaction, he said: “What exactly did the government achieve by breaking the heads of common people, taking their lives, burning vehicles and burning down houses? The riots in Nagpur are the result of the provocative statements made by government ministers over the past few days, and this government is entirely responsible for this. The minister who has polluted the atmosphere in the state and created communal and religious hatred should be removed from the government. Not only that, this government also has no moral right to remain in power for even a minute.”
In his post on X, he said, “The basic issues of farmers, workers, youth, students, unemployed people were sidelined. If these issues had been resolved, their families would have been relieved, but to divert attention from the issues of these elements, the government-sponsored religious and communal agitation is going on in the state, and unfortunately, the time has come for the people of the state to see all this… my request to Maharashtra is that we can never afford communal-religious divide. The hands that incite it remain nameless and the victims are the common man. Therefore, the citizens should maintain peace!”
–IANS
sj/pgh
