Communal clashes: Curfew continues in Sangli
The situation in curfew-bound Miraj in Sangli district continued to be tense on Monday even as immersion of Ganesh idols, disrupted due to communal violence, recommenced under police protection.
The trouble started on Anant Chaturdashi, September 3, when some pro-Hindutva organisations tried to raise an arch on the immersion procession route depicting the murder of Mughal warrior Afzal Khan by King Shivaji following which communal clash broke out in the area. Ganesh mandals did not immerse the idols as a protest against the incident.
However, around 70 per cent of Sarvajanik Ganesh idols had been immersed till this morning after authorities held discussions with various social organisations in order to establish peace.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Home Minister Jayant Patil, who visited the town yesterday, told reporters that 23 people had been arrested in connection with the violence over the last four days.
State Director General of police S S Virk is personally supervising the situation, he said.
The curfew was relaxed for half-an-hour in the morning and will remain in force till afternoon tomorrow, they added.
