The police arrested 25 people in connection with the violence that broke out between two groups in Aurangabad on Friday, 11 May. The accused were produced before court on Saturday, 12 May.
Twenty-four of the accused were sent to police custody, while one was sent to magistrate custody, reported ANI. The police had registered six cases in which nearly 3,000 unidentified people were booked for offences like arson, rioting and damaging public property, an official said.
A few shops were gutted and sporadic instances of stone-pelting were reported in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, on Friday night. Teams of the city police and the reserve force have been deployed in the city to bring the situation under control, reported The Indian Express.
Police officials have confirmed to The Quint that two civilians – a 65-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy – had lost their lives in the clashes. At least 12 policemen were also injured.
The 17-year-old boy was killed allegedly in police firing, while the other deceased was trapped in his house when an adjoining shop was set on fire by rioters, an official had earlier said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Govardhan Kolekar, one of the policemen injured during the clashes, is being shifted to Mumbai on account of his condition being critical, ANI reported.
According to Zee News, the “clashes ensued between two groups after illegal water connection to a 'religious place' was reportedly disconnected.”
The father of the deceased 17-year-old boy demanded an inquiry into the incident and action against the history-sheeter under charges for murder.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Aurangabad Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe appealed for peace and announced the decision to impose curfew in the city.
If one group is pelting stones, the other group is requested to keep calm not respond in kind, the police is doing its duty. Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed, if groups of people are found to be breaking the curfew, we will take strict action against them.Milind Bharambe, Aurangabad Police Commissioner, to The Indian Express
MP Asaduddin Owaisi took to Twitter to report the incident.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehad Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Sayed Imtiyaz Jaleel told ANI that the clashes were “pre-planned” as the perpetrators of the violence, were determined to "disturb the communal harmony” of the city.
“Government and police should act now and catch the culprits,” he said.
The Times of India also reported that the police believe an independent corporator is responsible for instigating the violence.
Additional Director General of Police Bipin Bihari admitted to PTI that the police had failed to prevent and contain the spread of violence and to take action against the rioters.
Earlier, a purported video of some police personnel walking with rioters during the violence had surfaced, prompting the state police to order an inquiry into it.
"We have asked people (who have the video recording) to deposit the footage to the police. We will check its authenticity and appropriate action will be taken if we find their (policemen's) involvement," Bihari had said.
For now, police teams have been deployed at spots where clashes broke out, and the situation has reportedly been brought under control. Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of more than four persons in an area, has also been imposed in the city.
However, internet services, which had earlier been suspended as a result of the clashes, have been restored, reported ANI.
(With inputs from PTI, The Times of India ,The Indian Express and Zee News)
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