On Saturday, the Ahmednagar Police Department issued notice to the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) for its tweets regarding the violence that occurred in the district on April 4.
“The information provided by LRO through its tweets is fake. The LRO has defamed and hurt the sentiments of two specific communities in the district,” the notice claimed.
The notice was sent to the LRO on a complaint filed by Dhananjay Jadhav, who is Councillor at Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation. The notice claims that the LRO tried to spread fake information by posting about the violence through its Twitter Account, and the tweets by LRO are false and defamatory.
The complainant alleged that the tweets by LRO have hurt the sentiments of the two communities. The LRO has been asked to submit its statement in response to the complaint on 13 April by the Ahmednagar Cyber Police Station.
Notably, the notice does not mention any tweet or URL of the tweet against which the complaint has been lodged.
As reported earlier, clashes broke out between two groups in Ahmednagar on Tuesday night. Four people were injured in the violence. Miscreants involved in the clash also vandalised some vehicles and pelted stones. The dispute started with a fight between some kids from two communities. The children called others, after which adults from both sides joined the fight and it soon escalated into a full-fledged brawl involving stone-pelting. Amid this, some people also burnt some vehicles parked in the area.
Ahmednagar MIDC police station official confirmed the incident and said, “A youth of the group passing near a mosque in the Gajraj Nagar area was allegedly beaten up by members of another group, triggering a violent clash. A two-wheeler was set on fire and two vehicles, including a four-wheeler, were damaged during the clash between the two groups.”
The Ahmednagar police have arrested at least 17 rioters in connection with the incident that took place late Tuesday evening. The LRO on Tuesday took cognizance of the Ahmednagar incident and reported that four of the people belonging to the Hindu community were severely injured after being attacked by the Muslims and also posted the photographs of the victims.
Reports claim Muslims launched attacks on two Hindu youths
However, an exclusive report by India TV claims that the attack was launched by the Muslims and the violence later escalated as stone-pelting occurred. According to the report, the violence began when two Hindu youths who were commuting from Abdul Qadir’s area slipped from their bike. Later Abdul and the two Hindu youths engaged in a minor brawl which later turned into a scuffle.
Abdul is reported to have launched an attack on the two Hindu youths after which the duo sought help from the other members of the Hindu community. Soon, several persons from the other community also reached the spot and the violence erupted. 2 vehicles were set ablaze and one vehicle was vandalized amid the violence.
LRO says notice part of a huge conspiracy to defame Devendra Fadnavis
LRO, while talking to OpIndia, stated that this is a huge conspiracy to defame Maharashtra’s Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis ahead of the upcoming elections. “The police personnel are highly influenced by some political figures and are acting under their influence. They aim to defame the Hindu community and HM Devendra Fadnavis. They (some political figures) want to show that ‘though the BJP government is in power, nothing has changed. The locals will keep raising their voices for Hindutva and will be sent to jail in the BJP rule’. LRO is not scared of such notices,” it said.
For raising voice against deadly attack on #Hindu youths by #Jihadis; @NagarPolice all set to arrest #LRO team, notice issued to us citing vague complaint!
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) April 8, 2023
Massive conspiracy against HM @Dev_Fadnavis to defame him among #Hindutvavadi voters!
We will fight @AmitShah @NiteshNRane pic.twitter.com/b2HJ7mZ6JY
The police have filed two FIRs and arrested around 17 persons from both communities. Around 5 stone pelters are absconding for which the police have launched a massive manhunt.
