Maha faces heat of Bangladesh fire; six cops injured in clashes
Mumbai/Nashik, August 16
Tension gripped Jalgaon and Nashik cities in north Maharashtra on Friday after group clashes during protests organised by a Hindu outfit to condemn atrocities on the minority community in Bangladesh, leaving six policemen injured, officials said.
In Nashik, around 200 km from Maharashtra capital Mumbai, two groups clashed during a bandh called by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, leading to tension in the Bhadrakali area, where the police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The police immediately intervened and brought the situation under control, an official said.
“The situation is tense but under control. Six tear gas shells and one rubber bullet were fired to disperse the crowd. Around six policemen were injured. Police personnel were deployed in the area to maintain peace,” said Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik.
Trouble started in the afternoon when Sakal Hindu Samaj members took out a protest march along with a motorbike rally. When morcha participants appealed for closure of shops, verbal arguments erupted between two groups which turned into clashes during which stones were pelted, causing damage to some vehicles.
In Jalgaon, around 400 km from Mumbai, stones were hurled at a vehicle showroom when Sakal Hindu Samaj, an umbrella body of several outfits, took out a protest march. “Hundreds of supporters of the Sakal Hindu Samaj took part in the march, and the protesters later went to the collector’s office and handed over a memorandum listing their demands,” a police official said. The incident led to tension for some time, but the situation was brought under control following the intervention of the police, he said. Police personnel were deployed in strength in Jalgaon city as a precautionary measure, he said.
Bangladesh saw a spike in violence against members of the Hindu community following the fall of the government led by former PM Sheikh Hasina. She resigned and fled to India on August 5 after massive protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs. — PTI
