Stone-pelting in some parts of Maharashtra over Tripura communal violence

Incidents of stone-pelting were reported in Nanded, Amravati and Malegaon of Maharashtra during protest rallies by the Muslim community in the wake of recent communal violence in Tripura.

At least two police personnel were injured, reports said.

State Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil reviewed the situation and appealed for calm. "I appeal to all Hindus and Muslims to maintain peace," Walse-Patil said.

He said that he was personally monitoring the situation and those indulging in violence will not be spared.

Read | Tripura riots and the misuse of UAPA

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis asked the government to ensure that law and order prevails. "The violence, stone-pelting during the morchas is serious," he said.

In the Mumbai metropolitan region, a bandh of sorts was observed in Bhiwandi and Mumbra, however, there were no incidents of violence.

The tension mainly was reported from Malegaon in Nashik district and Amravati and Nanded.

Public Works Minister Ashok Chavan said that some unscrupulous elements were involved in violence in Nanded. "We will not tolerate this," said Chavan, the Guardian Minister of Nanded.

The Tripura Police last week had booked 102 social media account holders under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), criminal conspiracy and forgery charges and served notices to the authorities of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to freeze their accounts and inform all particulars of those persons to it.

Recently, the north-eastern state witnessed incidents of arson, looting and violence after reports emerged from Bangladesh that the Hindu minorities there had been attacked during ‘Durga Puja’ on allegations of blasphemy.