INDIA: 12 people were arrested and cases filed against over 300 unidentified people in connection with a scuffle during the “Ram Navami” Shobha Yatra (pageant) organised in Malwani, Malad West area in North Mumbai on Thursday night.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajay Bansal told the media that “tension prevailed for some time during the Ram Navami procession in Malvani area, but the police handled it and the situation is under control.” One person suffered minor injuries, and four constables sustained moderate injuries in the stone-pelting. “Legal action is being taken and further investigation is underway.”
An FIR (0393 dated March 31) has been registered, and the police have pressed charges under Indian Penal Code sections 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 332 (whoever voluntarily causes hurt to any person being a public servant in the discharge of his duty as such a public servant), 145 (joining or continuing in unlawful assembly) and 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in prosecution of a common object), and Sections 37(1) (c) and 135 (unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in prosecution of a
The accused were identified as: Munna Raitulla Rafiq Sheikh, Mohammed Shoyeb Ahmed Mohammed, Faizan Alim, Latif Sayyed, Afzal Sheikh, Sadique Sheikh, and Mohmmed Furkan. Faiyyaz Ahmed, Ahmed Raza Samir Sheikh, Mohabia Ansari, Jamil Merchant, Munna Sheikh, and Rehan Sheikh
The incident occurred when the procession was going on and some people objected to the high volume of the DJ and the loud music accompanying it. However, local BJP Yuva Morcha Chief Tajinder Singh Tiwana told the Transcontinental Times that when the large procession passed in front of a mosque in gate no. 7 area, the loudspeakers were switched off.
Despite this, a hail of stones greeted them near the “Savera Building.” In the stone-pelting, our seven to eight workers were injured. He claimed that some of them also suffered fractures in the head.
Then the local unit of the BJP Yuva Morcha staged a demonstration demanding the transfer of Senior Police Inspector Shekhar Bhalerao for “failing to protect Ram devotees.” They called off their agitation after the accused were arrested.
Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said, “The procession was taken out after permission from the police; it was stopped in between during the time of namaz.” Despite the fact that such an incident is unfortunate, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the probe.
In the meantime, a 51-year-old man, Shaikh Muniruddin, who was injured during a clash near a Ram temple in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad city, died during treatment at a hospital on Friday.
There was violence also in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, on Thursday, triggered by the alleged playing of music in front of a mosque by participants in a Ram Navami procession. No one was injured in the violence, which was controlled by the swift action of the police.
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