Don’t let ‘Azad Maidan riots’ recur in Mumbai, demands HJS | HJS

A complaint has been lodged about religious sentiments of Muslims getting hurt based on a post made on social media. Trombay police from Mankhurd took immediate cognizance of the complaint and even arrested a young man in this context. Few fanatics took law in their hand, making strange demand to hand over that young man to them and attacked Trombay police station, pelting stones which would remind people of the riots staged at Azad Maidan in the past. They beat up policemen, set their vehicle on fire and caused damage to public property on large scale.

Rioters have exhibited audacity to take law in their hand even when police were taking action. The State Home Minister Devendra Fadanvis should look into the matter personally and try to find out facts whether such incidents were purposely created to demoralize police. The above demand has been made by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS).

HJS has also demanded that the truth should be found in every respect and stringent action must be taken against rioters; they should be made to make good the loss caused to public property and they should be punished in such way that nobody would again dare to raise his hand on police. Local citizens have been terrorized due to the incident. It is therefore, the stand of HJS that law and order should be maintained, anti-social elements should be kept under control and social peace should be maintained.

Why was police station targeted ?

Miscreants could have conducted a peaceful protest without disrupting law and order.

A group of people set police vans on fire and threw stones at the vehicles to protest against an offensive post by a man of social networking site. Miscreants also vandalised the Trombay Police Station and demanded that the accused be handed over to them. Many of them had gathered outside police station and situation remained tense in the area. A question which arises here is why did miscreants take law and order into their hands and attack the police station? They could have conducted a peaceful protest without disrupting law and order. If the situation had gone out of control then it could have claimed several lives. A complaint was lodged on Saturday against the man for an objectionable post by him on Facebook that allegedly hurt some religious sentiments.

The police have arrested the accused Arvind Chinwa and also have taken 26 people into custody. They are examining the CCTV footage to obtain further evidence about the incident. Police have also cordoned off the area and prevented the assembly of persons outside the police station.

A mob of around 100 to 150 people assembled outside Trombay Police station. They pelted stones and broke the window panes of the police station. They also had torched three vehicles as police personnel sustained injuries. Police had carried out plastic bullet firing to control the situation as two people had sustained injuries. They were discharged after offering preliminary medication. The police have arrested the accused under various sections of the Information Technology act

Additional Commissioner of Police (eastern region) Manoj Lohia, said, “The accused named Arvind Chinwa is employed with Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation. He had posted an edited photo on facebook which had hurt the religious sentiments of people belonging to a particular community. Later, the situation became tense in Trombay and it intensified in the Cheetah camp area.”

“We have taken miscreants under custody and have filed cases against them for inciting riots and disrupting law and order in the area. We are probing this matter and gathering further evidence. Action will be taken against the accused,” he added.

AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan met the 17 accused along with Corporator Shanawaz from Cheeta camp and assured them that the party will provide all legal assistance to them. He said, “Shahnawaz was picked from his residence and falsely implicated in the case due to political rivalries. The incident of burning the police vehicles is deplorable and action must be taken against culprits. A high level inquiry must be conducted. I will raise the issue in assembly.”

Ramesh Shinde, National spokesperson, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti said, “Rioters have exhibited audacity to take law in their hands even when police were taking action. The State Home Minister Devendra Fadanvis should look into the matter personally and try to find out facts whether such incidents were intentionally created to demoralize police. Stringent action must be taken against rioters. Local citizens have been terrorized due to the incident. Law and order should be maintained, anti-social elements should be kept under control and social peace should be maintained.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-VI, Shahaji Umap said the situation in the area is now under control.

Security has been stepped up in the area to avoid any untoward incident, he added.