Madhya Pradesh: After 110 days, main accused in Khargone communal violence held
BHOPAL: The main accused in communal violence during a Ram Navami procession in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone city was arrested on Sunday, over three months after the incident, police said Sunday.
Shamiullah Khan (30), a native of Kamharwadi-Mohan Talkies area of Khargone, was arrested from the border of Khargone and Dhar districts on Sunday.
A listed goon under the Khargone Kotwali police station, he has been accused in at least 10 cases, including attempt to murder, abduction and attack on government servants as well as the April 10 violence.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the man on the run was tracked and nabbed from Dhar-Khargone district border.
Carrying a bounty of Rs 10,000 on his head in connection with the April 10 violence, Shamiulaah was on the run since then. The Khargone district administration had invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against him. He had been externed from the district in the past.
As per the NSA warrant issued against him, Shamiullah was sent to jail in Indore, after his arrest on Sunday.
"He has been arrested in connection with the NSA warrant issued against him and has been sent to jail. The Khargone police will seek his police remand and grill him in connection with the April 10 arson and violence case registered against him as well as his possible linkages to other cases pertaining to the Ram Navami communal violence," Khargone SP Dharnaveer Singh said.
Shamiullah was also running a shadow outfit MIM.
In an ongoing probe, it is believed that he was the prime mastermind behind the large scale arson and violence in Kamharwadi-Mohan Talkies area, which was the epicentre of the April 10 violence.
Stone pelting had occurred during a Ram Navami procession in Khargone on April 10, leading to clashes between two communities and arson.
One person (hailing from the minority community) was killed and over three dozen others, including then Khargone district police superintendent Siddharth Chaudhary were injured in the acts of communal violence that continued all throughout Ram Navami night.
Indefinite curfew which was imposed on the entire municipal limits of Khargone town was lifted after 22 days.
Around 90 cases were registered in connection with the Ram Navami communal violence and over 185 persons have been arrested in connection with various cases.