Mira Road clashes: Shops vandalised; 19 arrested so far

Mumbai/Thane: The Thane district of Maharashtra has been rocked by a fresh incident of vandalism as unidentified individuals targeted shops, escalating the tensions following the consecration of Lord Ram’s idol in Ayodhya, officials said on Wednesday.

The incident came in the wake of heightened tensions in the area, where celebratory processions and commercial establishments have been the target of violence.

In a swift response, local police have apprehended two individuals in connection with the recent vandalism with authorities hoping that such measures would help in restoration of peace at the earliest in the region. Police across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region also issued advisories on Wednesday, warning people against circulating inflammatory messages, videos and rumours.

Overall, 19 persons have been arrested over the last three days in connection with different incidents of violence, said a senior police official from Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar police commissionerate.

Thane, a district with a history of religious and cultural significance, has recently been marred by incidents of unrest, posing significant challenges to the local administration.

On Tuesday night, unidentified persons vandalised some shops in Kashimira, Naya Nagar and Navghar areas of the district neighbouring Mumbai, police said.

Notably, the Muslim-dominated Naya Nagar locality witnessed a communal clash three days back.

A video which went viral on social media showed some persons on motorbikes throwing stones at the shops.

The shops in these areas were damaged following which the police registered an FIR against unidentified persons, an official said.

The police were looking for CCTV footage to ascertain the identity of the perpetrators, he added.

Two persons have also been arrested by the police following an attack on a procession in Borivali village of Padgha area in the district on Monday, another official said.

The victims, travelling on motorcycles and on foot as part of the procession, were allegedly intercepted and assaulted by a group of nearly 15 armed individuals using iron rods, wooden sticks, and sharp objects.

The attackers also vandalised several motorcycles and tore a saffron flag bearing the image of Lord Ram, the official from Padgha police station said.

The police have registered offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and have apprehended two of the accused, he said.

The hunt is going on for the remaining individuals involved in the incident, the police added.

Earlier, members of two communities clashed during a vehicle rally organised in Naya Nagar on Sunday night following which 13 people were taken in custody.

On Tuesday, "illegal" roadside stalls in Naya Nagar area were demolished by the local civic body using bulldozers, officials said. The action was taken a day after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warned of strict action against rioters.

On Monday, a procession taken out in Mira Road area of Thane district on the occasion of the Ram temple idol consecration in Ayodhya was pelted with stones by miscreants.

An official said strict vigil was being maintained and a flag march was conducted by police on Tuesday in Naya Nagar.

The situation in the area is now normal even as heavy police security remains deployed there. Shops, schools and other establishments in the locality have opened, he said.

The police have appealed to the people not to pay heed to any provocative videos.

The Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar police have warned of strict legal action against those spreading rumours on social media through fake messages, saying they can create law and order problems and disturb peace.

Administrators of social media groups will also face action in such matters, they said.

Old videos which had nothing to do with the area also fuelled tensions, a senior police official said.

The police issued a note, referring to what they called a fake video message that has been “mischievously” edited with the claim that some anti-social elements had set afire the Mira Road railway station.

Urging citizens to exercise caution, the note said the fake video has gone viral on social media and is being shared on WhatsApp.

Citizens should neither believe in such fake messages nor circulate them, said the note.

Additional Police Commissioner Shrikant Pathak, meanwhile, said nobody involved in the violence will be spared.

A total of eight offences under the Indian Penal Code and two under the Information Technology Act have been registered, and 19 persons arrested while some others too were being questioned, he told reporters.

As police were busy in the maintenance of law and order, the work of identifying miscreants with the help of CCTV footage got a little delayed, Pathak said.

Appealing people not to circulate provocative videos, he said the area had never witnessed this kind of situation which could tarnish its image and benefit no one.

Meetings of peace committees and mohalla committees were being held for restoring peace, he said.