Picture : Twitter / ANI
A curfew was imposed in Maharashtra’s Amravati city on Saturday against the backdrop of back-to-back incidents of stone-pelting on Friday and Saturday, an official order said.
As per the order issued on Saturday by the Amravati police commissionerate, the curfew has come into effect in the limits of the city and will remain in force till further order is issued.
This order was issued by officiating police commissioner Sandip Patil under sections 144(1), (2), (3) of the CrPc to avoid any untoward incidents.
Except for medical emergencies, people are not allowed to come out of their houses. Similarly, gathering of more than five people is not allowed, it said.
Section 144 has been imposed in Amravati in view of protests against Tripura violence, Amravati’s guardian minister Yashomati Thakur said
The incident occurred during a bandh (shutdown) called by a saffron body against Friday’s stone-pelting incidents in Amravati city during rallies held by Muslim organisations in protest against the Tripura communal violence.
Hundreds of people, many of them holding saffron flags in their hands and raising slogans, came out on streets in Rajkamal Chowk area of this east Maharashtra city, located around 670 km from the state capital, in the morning.
On Saturday morning, a mob hurled stones and damaged shops at various places in Amravati city during a bandh allegedly organised by BJP prompting the police to lathicharge the protesters, an official said.
We condemn the violence. I spoke to Devendra Fadnavis, Amravati MP to help maintain social harmony and peace. We are focusing on how to keep the situation under control and maintain peace, Maharashtra HM Dilip Walse Patil on violence in rallies at Amravati, Nanded and Malegaon.
On Friday, over eight thousand people had gathered outside the Amravati district collector’s office to submit a memorandum demanding that atrocities against the minority community be stopped, officials had said.
When people were leaving after submitting the memorandum, stone-pelting took place at three places between Chitra Chowk and Cotton Market under the limits of the Kotwali police station.
Kotwali Police has so far registered 11 FIRs under various charges including rioting. Ten persons were arrested.
” We condemn protests & violence happening in Maharashtra. Tripura Police have exposed fake photos posted on social media. I appeal to people of Amravati to maintain social harmony& peace. There should be action against leaders giving inciting speeches, Maharashtra LoP Devendra Fadnavis was quoted as saying by ANI.
