4 killed, 5 hurt in Akot riots
Alleged stone-pelting on a Durga procession sparked riots in the communally sensitive Akot town in Akola district on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in the death of four persons and widespread destruction of property.
While three deaths occurred on Tuesday night, one took place on Wednesday. Five persons were injured. Over 17 houses,16 shops and ten vehicles were burnt in the arson that reportedly spilled over to Wednesday despite curfew.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Narendra Tapre said, “The shops were gutted in a fire caused by an electrical malfunction on Wednesday.”
He said trouble began after stones were reportedly hurled at the procession around 7 pm on Tuesday.
“The processionists started running as there was a rumour that a house in their part of the town had been burnt. The house had in fact caught fire due to an electrical malfunction. The two sides then started pelting stones at each other. We intervened and the procession continued till idol immersion was completed around midnight. The two sides, however, again came face to face on Wednesday morning and resumed stone-pelting. Curfew was imposed and the situation was brought under control.”
Collector Parimal Singh told The Indian Express , “The riots broke out on Tuesday night when three persons were killed. The fourth death happened on Wednesday. All injured are stable.”
Collector Singh, Inspector General of Police (Amravati Range) Bipin Bihari, Akola Superintendent of Police Virendra Mishra and a posse of over 500 police personnel, two companies of State Reserve Police and 70 Home Guards drawn from different parts of the district have been maintaining vigil.
Violent past and present
Akot and other towns and villages in Akola and adjoining Amravati district have a history of communal tension. Yogesh Mahadev Rekhate (25), Manohar Maroti Budhe (65), Mohd Yasin Mohd Idu and Abdul Jafar Abdul Karim (17) were killed in Tuesday-Wednesday’s violence.
Yusuf circulated provocative messages before riot: Cops
Yusuf Khan, an illegal immigrant from Myanmar who was arrested on Saturday, has been identified as the source of provocative messages that were in circulation around a week before the August 11 Azad Maidan riots.
“For three or four months leading up to the riots, Yusuf was regularly in touch with a maulana in Baramulla district, a religious leader in Myanmar, and another person in Bangladesh. These people told him about local events and gave instructions to him. Yusuf, in turn, sent out provocative messages to people,” said a Crime Branch source.
The Crime Branch is verifying Yusuf’s claims and ascertaining the identities of the three persons he was in touch with.
“Yusuf was brought to the country illegaly when he was around eight. He still has an identity card issued in Myanmar, and claims he initially came to Delhi to collect donations. He stayed in UP before coming to Mumbai a few years ago. He then began working as a cleaner at a mosque in Garib Nagar in Bandra (East). A religious leader who was one of those who delivered speeches during the protest at Azad Maidan was from the same mosque. Significantly, this person had delivered an aggressive speech at Azad Maidan on the events in Myanmar,” said the source.
According to officers, Salim Lightwala, another accused arrested on Saturday, was a trustee of the mosque. “Lightwala had several cases of issuing threats and assault registered against him. He was externed from the area. However, he held meetings at the Garib Nagar mosque in the days leading up to the riots, during which he incited people,” said the source. Crime Branch officers said Lightwala led a group of 35-40 people who were actively involved in the violence.
“A day or two before the riots, a Muslim woman from Garib Nagar had sent a letter to the local police warning that Lightwala had planned some illegal activity. This woman will now be a crucial witness in the case,” said an officer.
Lightwala allegedly owns several illegal tenements in Garib Nagar and provides illegal power connections, sources said. “That is how he got the name Lightwala,” said the officer.
Three accused granted bail
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted bail to three persons booked in the Azad Maidan riot case. The court observed that prima facie, charges of murder and attempt to murder were not substantiated against them. Amin Chaudhary, a computer engineer from Goregaon, Umair Ansari, a standard XII student and Nazar Siddhiqui, who suffered a bullet injury during the riots, are the first among the 63 arrested to secure bail.