MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced a probe by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court into Monday’s Bhima Koregaon violence, and compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of Rahul Phatangale, whose body was found at the scene of the riot, even as Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar blamed the state government for the incident. Fadnavis blamed left-wing extremists and some social organisations for making inflammatory statements prior to the rioting.
“The CID will probe the killing of the youth, treating it as murder. Besides the financial aid of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the youth, compensation will be given for damage to vehicles of people who had gone to attend the celebration,” Fadnavis said.
Phatangale, a 28-year-old resident of Sanaswadi, Pune, died on Monday after suffering head injuries when a mob threw stones. The altercation took place between two unidentified groups near a memorial to the 1818 war between the British and Peshwa forces in Bhima Koregaon.
The CM warned that strict action would be taken against those who spread rumours and made social media posts that could disturb communal harmony.
Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar blamed the Maharashtra administration for lapses which he alleged led to the violence. Pawar also blamed Hindutva forces for the riot and said that anti-social elements might take advantage of the situation to indulge in violence. Keen to win over the party’s traditional Dalit vote bank, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS for trying to suppress the voices of the community.