Communal Tension Escalates In Bhiwandi Amid Fresh Violence; DCP Transferred

Thane: Communal tension that erupted in Bhiwandi near Mumbai during the Ganesha idol immersion procession escalated further on Wednesday, prompting the government to transfer Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shrikant Paropkari with immediate effect. Mohan Dahikar was assigned additional charge of Bhiwandi.

In fresh incidents, some youths were beaten up after asking for their names at a petrol pump. A few vehicles including an auto rickshaw and a motorcycle were damaged by unidentified people at Shivaji Chowk in Bhiwandi on Wednesday.

“We are filing an FIR against the crowd who damaged the vehicles parked on the road,” Joint Commissioner of Police Dnyaneshwar Chavan said on Wednesday.

The police who promptly reached the spot cordoned off the Shivaji Chowk area and are monitoring known miscreants in the area. Some shop-owners closed their shops after the incident on Wednesday evening.

In new incidents during the Ganpati immersion on Wednesday night, police resorted to lathi-charge at Vanjar Patti Naka in Bhiwandi to disperse the crowd. Among others, three police personnel have also suffered injuries.

On Tuesday night, violence erupted when a few individuals hurled stones at a Ganesh idol, damaging it near the Hindustani Mosque during the Ganpati immersion procession. The situation quickly escalated, leading to clashes between two groups and resulting in communal unrest.