On Friday (19th July), a Hindu youth identified as Ganesh Narvade, a resident of Pimpalner village of Maharashtra’s Beed district was arrested by the state police for allegedly posting a WhatsApp story against the illegal encroachment on the Vishalgadh fort. The video allegedly posted by Ganesh indicated that no illegal encroachment on the fort of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj would be tolerated.
The video that led to the arrest was posted by Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) on social media. “Muslim mob threatened the police to torch police station after which Dhimmi SP surrendered to wild jihadi violence threat and arrested Hindu youth,” LRO posted on X.
Hindu youth Ganesh Narvade, village Pimpalner arrested by @BEEDPOLICE for sharing WhatsApp status on #Vishalgadh encroachment!
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) July 19, 2024
Muslim mob threatened police to torch police station after which #Dhimmi SP surrendered to wild #Jihadi violence threat n arrested Hindu youth!
We urge… pic.twitter.com/3UMuAfhyTT
OpIndia spoke to SP Beed Nandakumar Thakur who confirmed the arrest of the Hindu youth but refused to share any further details. On asking about the arrest, he claimed that people complained about him so we had to arrest him. However, now it has come to the fore that the accused has been granted bail.
Massive controversy erupted at the Vishalgadh fort near Kolhapur after a group of protestors led by a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhajiraje demanded the removal of alleged illegal encroachment from the fort, the maximum of which is by the Muslim community. The state CM also on 15th July then ordered the district administration to remove the illegal encroachment after alleged violence was reported on 14th July on site.
However, the Bombay High Court on 19th July asked the state to halt the demolition drive at Vishalgadh. The Court criticized the government for demolishing over 70 houses at the Fort and said strong action would be taken against the officials.
Earlier detailed reports covered by OpIndia on this issue can be read here and here.
