30 policemen hurt as Maharashtra villagers clash over Shivaji statue, 300 booked
Zee News
Two groups clashed in a village in Maharashtra's Jalna district over the installation and removal of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and naming a village entry gate after late BJP leader Gopinath Munde.
Mumbai/Jalna: Over 30 policemen received minor injuries after two groups clashed in a village in Maharashtra's Jalna district over the installation and removal of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and naming a village entry gate after late BJP leader Gopinath Munde, resulting in over 300 people being booked for violence, officials said on Friday.
The additional superintendent of police of the region was among those who were injured in the stone-pelting that took place on Thursday in Chandai Eko village under Hasnabad police station limits in Bhokardan tehsil, over 400 kilometres from the state capital, they added.
"Two groups entered into an argument over the statue as well as naming the entry gate after the BJP leader. As it degenerated into a violent scuffle, a team from Hasnabad police station arrived at the site to take control of the situation," an official said.
"In the evening, a group from the village blocked a road and then pelted stones at a police team that went to clear the route. Among the 30-odd policemen who received minor injuries was Additional Superintendent of Police Vikrant Deshmukh. A gas gun had to be used to bring the mob under control and restore law and order," he said.
Three police vehicles were damaged in the incident, which saw three FIRs being registered under various IPC sections, leading to over 300 people being booked, of which 34 were arrested, the official informed.
