Nashik, July 30: A peaceful protest march in Satana town, Nashik district, Maharashtra, turned violent as thousands of young men gathered to condemn the sexual assault on two women in Manipur. The demonstration, organised by the Eklavya Adivasi Sanghatana, along with other tribal organisations and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, aimed to express solidarity with the victims who were brutally assaulted and paraded naked by a mob on May 3.
During the protest on Saturday evening, tensions escalated when some participants decided to stage a sit-in agitation near the Satana police station. They demanded that the local BJP MLA, Dilip Borse, accept their memorandum as a symbol of their grievances. However, police officials informed the protesters that the MLA was away attending the assembly session in Mumbai and couldn't meet them at that time.
Frustration and heated arguments ensued, and unfortunately, the situation took a violent turn when a section of the protesters resorted to stone-pelting. The stones were directed at the police officers and passing vehicles, prompting the police to respond with a "mild lathicharge" to disperse the unruly crowd.
As a result of the clashes, ten police personnel sustained injuries. In response to the violence, the police swiftly took 21 individuals, believed to be involved in the stone-pelting, into custody to restore order. The situation, which led to the closure of shops and commercial establishments, created tension in the town.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Shahaji Umap addressed the media, stating that the incident occurred after the protest march and that additional forces were promptly deployed to bring the situation under control. With the detained individuals in custody, the situation gradually returned to peace and normalcy.
The protest aimed to shed light on the grave issue of sexual assault in Manipur and demand justice for the victims. However, the unfortunate turn of events resulted in injuries to police personnel and disruption in the town. The authorities are likely to conduct further investigations to identify those responsible for inciting violence during an otherwise peaceful demonstration.
- With inputs from agencies
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