On Wednesday, the Ahmednagar Police in Maharashtra arrested 17 persons after massive violence erupted in the Samnapur village of Sangamner amid a rally organized by Sakal Hindu Samaj, an umbrella organization of several Hindutva outfits. However, it has been alleged that no stone pelters have been arrested, and the 17 arrested are Hindu youths.
The Hindu organizations had organized a peaceful march in Sangamner protesting against several recent incidents of Love Jihad and atrocities and assaults on the Hindu community. The march was concluded peacefully but while on their return, the members of the Hindu organization were attacked by people from another community who pelted stones and also damaged vehicles. Sources confirmed to OpIndia that the arrested persons have been charged under section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the local reports, several vehicles were damaged and two people have been reported injured in the incident. The violence is said to have happened at around 12.30 pm, half an hour after the rally organized by Hindus concluded. Sources said that it was people from another community who attacked the Hindus first after which a fight broke between the two communities.
However, the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) said that the Ahmednagar Police has arrested only Hindu persons and none of the stone pelters have yet been arrested. The organization has also demanded severe action against the administration for allegedly encouraging the stone pelters.
“17 Hindu youths arrested by Ahmednagar Police after massive stone pelting on Sakal Hindu Samaj march in Sangamner by Peacefuls (Muslims); no stone pelter has been arrested so far! Serious action needed against MLAs, MPs and Police officers who are encouraging Jihadis,” the tweet by LRO read.
17 #Hindu youths arrested by @NagarPolice after massive stone pelting on #SakalHinduSamaj march in Sangamner by #Peacefuls; no stone pelter arrested so far!
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) June 7, 2023
Serious action needed against MLAs, MPs, Police officers encouraging #Jihadis @Dev_Fadnavis @DGPMaharashtra @NiteshNRane https://t.co/LYcr9uGYiI
The Ahmednagar District Police after the violence was quoted as saying that provisions pertaining to rioting and causing hurt would be invoked among other sections of the Indian Penal Code. Confirming that two were injured and five vehicles were damaged in the violence, Ahmednagar Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ola said, “We have launched a probe into this incident. The law and order situation is under control.”
The police at present have deployed massive force in the city to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. Around thousands of Hindus gathered in the Sangamner region of Ahmednagar for a huge rally in protest against the rising recent incidents of Love Jihad, atrocities on Hindus, and assault by the minority community.
Attack on Hindus is escalation of Jorve Naka violence reported on May 31
Sources further confirmed to OpIndia that the attack on Hindu organizations on June 6 was an escalation of the Sangamner violence that happened on May 30 in which 150 people from another community had launched an attack on 6 Hindus with swords and rods over a minor issue. “Yesterday’s Hindu rally was supported by many people from nearby villages including Samnapur. The Muslims in the area illegally set their businesses up in small vehicles and carts on the main roads which disturbs the regular road movement. Last week 6 Hindus were attacked by around 150 Muslims for honking horns in the traffic. The traffic in the area is because of them only. After that, the administration happened to take action in the Jorve case and attempted to remove the encroachment. But the same was opposed by the minority community members,” one of the members of the Hindu organizations confirmed on the condition of anonymity.
He further added that Samnapur is one of the crucial regions in the district and people from nearby areas often travel there for work. “Samnapur and Jorve fall in the middle of the town and the city. So these areas are always busy as people from Taluka have to visit these before reaching the district. Hindus from nearby regions have been beaten by minority community members there in the past. This is a long-standing matter. Yesterday’s attack was an escalation of it,” he stated.
People from Samnapur extended support to Hindu rally, say Muslims deliberately harass Hindus and women
Reportedly, the villagers of Samnapur also extended support to the rally organized by Hindu organizations on June 6. Earlier on June 3, the villagers had demanded strict action in the Jorve violence case and also had demanded the removal of illegal encroachment by Muslims in the region. “The Muslims have illegally set up their business in the area and are creating disturbance in the regular moving traffic movement. They (Muslims) are more in number there so they threaten Hindus over small matters deliberately and also tease women. They constantly engage in brawls with Hindus and then harass them,” the letter by Gram Panchayat, Samnapur read. The copy of the letter has been obtained by OpIndia.
Jorve Naka violence case
It was reported on May 31 that a mob of around 100 to 150 Muslim people attacked 6 Hindu persons with swords and sharp iron rods, resulting in severe injuries. The incident happened in the Jorve village of Sangamner city on Sunday after the a few Hindus stuck in the traffic at Jorve Naka tried to get out of the traffic by honking their vehicle’s horn. Some of the people in the area belonging to the specific community objected to the usual honking and thrashed the boys in the traffic. The Hindus then filed a police complaint after which the Muslims later in the day attacked the Hindus again for filing a police complaint.
“These are the same people who have filed a police complaint. We’ll not spare them. They won’t go home alive,” the attacking mob could be heard saying. The mob attacked the Hindus with sharp weapons including knives, iron rods, bamboo sticks, and swords. The FIR against 150 was filed under sections 307, 324, 143, 147, 148, and 149 of the Indian Penal Code and also under the relevant sections of the Arms Act.
It was also reported that the Sangamner administration, after the incident had launched an anti-encroachment drive to raze down all the illegal businesses but the drive was opposed by people supposedly belonging to a specific community. The people forced the administration to stop the drive. However, on the next day the administration removed the controversial encroachments at Jorve Naka in Sangamner in presence of heavy police deployment. The encroachments were creating permanent obstacles to the regular road movement.
In the current case, the Police has arrested 17 Hindus in the case and have filed an FIR under section 326 of the Indian Penal Code. However, no stone pelters have yet been arrested in the case, as informed to OpIndia. Team OpIndia tried calling the Ahmednagar Police but the calls remained unestablshed. The report will be updated once we hear from the authorities.
