Team Clarion
AKOLA – A seemingly minor altercation here on Monday evening escalated into significant violence, prompting miscreants to create chaos across the city. The incident began when an auto-rickshaw reportedly hit a child, leading to stone-pelting and several cases of arson at various locations. Vehicles were set ablaze, and violent clashes erupted between opposite groups. Police have registered cases against approximately 150 individuals.
The conflict originated in the Juna Sheher area near Zilla Parishad Town School. Ansari Beniwala, the auto-rickshaw driver, accidentally bumped into a child, sparking a verbal dispute with the child’s companion. The minor incident soon turned into widespread unrest with rioting spreading to other parts of the city, including Gadge Nagar, Hamza Plot, Jayaram Singh Plot, Qabristan Plot, and Chand Khan Plot.
“Before we knew it, groups from both sides were clashing in the streets,” remarked a local witness. “It was frightening to see how quickly things escalated.”
The situation worsened as rioters set fire to Beniwala’s rickshaw and two motorbikes, including one belonging to journalist Mohsin Ghulam Ahmed of Maharashtra 24.
The local police, though outnumbered, rushed to the scene. Senior officials, including District Superintendent of Police Bachan Singh, Additional Superintendent Abhay Dongre, and SDPO Satish Kulkarni, were quickly on-site. To regain control, police resorted to firing tear gas and lathi-charge. Fire brigade personnel managed to extinguish the burning vehicles and cleared debris from the streets.
In the aftermath, the police cordoned off the area and initiated arrests of those involved in the violence. By Tuesday, arrests had been made on both sides, with authorities continuing their efforts to detain more suspects.
According to police reports, two to three individuals sustained injuries during the stone-pelting. Four FIRs were filed following the unrest. The first FIR was lodged by Yunus Madar Beniwala, naming individuals such as Shubham Shahu, Sonu Thakur, Chetan Shukla, and Mahendra Thakur among 25 to 30 others. Charges included rioting and assault under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Another FIR filed by Dheeraj Singh Thakur implicated 21 Muslim youths and 15 to 20 unidentified individuals. A third FIR, submitted by Assistant Police Sub-Inspector Vinod Bajirao Dege, named 21 Muslim and 10 to 15 Hindu youths. A fourth FIR, filed by Amol Sudhakar, listed four Muslim youths among others.
In total, over 150 individuals have been named as suspects in the riots, with 21 people arrested on Tuesday. They were subsequently produced in court, where 16 Muslims and 5 non-Muslims were released on bail. Three individuals have been remanded to police custody, while others have been placed in judicial custody.
