Dargah demolition leads to violence in Nashik, 21 cops hurt

Twentyone police personnel were injured and three police vehicles damaged when a mob attacked the police, while opposing the demolition of an unauthorised dargah in Maharashtra’s Nashik city, officials said on Wednesday.

The officials said the injured police personnel were on security duty during the anti-encroachment drive at the spot when the incident took place late on Tuesday night. The police resorted to lathi-charge and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob and brought the situation under control. They added that 15 persons were detained in connection with the violence.

“As per an order of the Bombay High Court, the Satpeer Dargah trustees started the process of removing the structure on Tuesday night. A violent mob gathered to oppose the removal and pelted stones at the police and Muslim leaders, who went to pacify the protesters," Nashik Commissioner of Police Sandeep Karnik said.

Around 11.30 pm on Tuesday, the trustees had reached the spot to remove the unauthorised Satpeer Baba Dargah located in the Kathe Galli area of the city and started work. But a mob of miscreants gathered at Usmania Chowk near the structure. They did not listen to the dargah trustees or the police who tried to pacify them, DCP Kirankumar Chavan said.

He said mild force was used to control miscreants. Subsequently, 15 persons were detained and 57 motorcycles were seized. The MC personnel finally removed the unauthorised dargah around 6 am on Wednesday.

India