Internet services partially resume in Maharashtra's Kolhapur

Internet services have been partially resumed in Kolhapur in Maharashtra on Friday. Local administration had suspended Internet services in the district until Thursday midnight after tensions erupted over alleged objectionable social media status with reference to Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan.

An FIR has been registered against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande and 8 others under Maharashtra Police Act 37, 135, for burning an effigy of Aurangzeb in the aftermath of Kolhapur violence, said Mumbai Police on Thursday.

"A total of 36 people have been arrested on the charges of rioting, damaging public property and for unlawful assembly, over the clash that broke out yesterday between the members of some Hindu organisations and Police in Maharashtra's Kolhapur," said Superintendent of Police (SP) Mahendra Pandit on Thursday.

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There is heavy deployment of security forces to maintain law and order situation in the area. Kolhapur SP Mahendra Pandit informed that the situation in the disputed areas is returning to normalcy. However, security has been tightened to avoid any occurrence of clashes.

"The situation of Kolhapur city and district has become normal since yesterday afternoon. 4 SRPF company, 300 Police constables and 60 officers deployed...," said Kolhapur SP Pandit.

A police personnel uses tear gas to disperse protestors during their protest demanding strict action against two people for posting objectionable status on social media, at Chhatrapati Shivaji Chowk, in Kolhapur on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: ANI

A curfew was imposed in Kolhapur on Wednesday following the violent clashes that broke out between two groups after which police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.

Reacting to the violence the Uddhav Thackeray faction MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said, "...As per my knowledge, people of Kolhapur were not involved in this clash. People from outside Kolhapur were brought in to disturb the situation...Why is this happening again and again ever since your government came to power? You speak of Hindutva. Is your Hindutva so weak that it gets threatened when someone puts up someone's photo?... Do you need Aurangzeb to win the elections? Bajrang Bali didn't help you in Karnataka. So, you need Aurangzeb in Maharashtra...", Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has slammed supporters of the erstwhile Mughal ruler.

"Suddenly, in some districts of Maharashtra, sons of Aurangzeb took birth. They keep the status of Aurangzeb and show their posters. Because of this, there are tensions. Questions arise, where do these sons of Aurangzeb come from? Who are behind this? We will find this out," said Mr. Fadnavis while talking to ANI in Nagpur.