CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: In a suspected fallout of the major clashes that ravaged the Kiradpura area of Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, two groups indulged in violent stone-throwing in Aheri village of the district on Friday.
A large police force, including a CRPF team, was rushed to Aheri to maintain peace.
The situation is reportedly under control with top officers and political leaders keeping an eye on developments.
The developments come barely 24 hours after Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) was rocked by clashes in which one person was killed and over 15 police personnel injured. Around 20 police and private vehicles were torched, too. Several incidents of stone pelting too were reported.
At least seven persons have been arrested and more than 400 persons booked for the rioting that occurred on the eve of Ram Navami celebrations.
During the festival on Thursday, clashes also erupted in Jalgaon too. Four have been arrested in connection with it and many more have been booked. The situation has now been reported as peaceful.
On Thursday night, groups indulged in stone pelting in the minority-dominated Malvani area of Malad west suburb of Mumbai and around 25 persons were detained. The situation there is stated to be normal and under control with police maintaining a tight vigil in view of the ongoing Ramzan month.
Mumbai Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh called upon the police to scan CCTV footage of the area and take action against those responsible for the clashes.
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Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut pointed fingers at the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance blaming them for the 'state-sponsored' riots which are intended to derail the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance's rally scheduled in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city on April 2.
"Our information is that nobody from the two groups wanted any violence... But it was the government which wanted the unrest. It supported those who resorted to violence by not acting against them. The city has witnessed 'state-sponsored' violence to prevent us from taking out our rally on Sunday," claimed Raut.
State BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule hit back by rubbishing Raut's contentions and saying that if the situation again deteriorates, then the Sena (UBT) MP should be held responsible for making inflammatory statements.