The DNA
September 8,
2009
Miraj tension spreads;
one dead, 5 hurt in Kolhapur
Mohsin Mulla. Kolhapur
One person was
killed and five others were seriously injured as communal violence
that originated in Miraj last week spread to Ichalkaranji town in
Kolhapur on Monday afternoon even as the police stopped Bharatiya
Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde from visiting Sangli and Miraj.
The district
administration imposed a 24-hour curfew in Ichalkaranji after a clash
between two groups. Fifteen vehicles and 20 powerloom units were
attacked in the town on Sunday; ransacking and stone-pelting continued
on Monday.
On Monday
afternoon, two groups clashed at Limbu Chowk in the town; a man of 35
was killed and five others were seriously injured in the clash.
Maharashtra
director general of police SS Virk, accompanied by inspector general
of police (Kolhapur) Ashok Dhivare and superintendent of police
Yashasvi Yadav, has gone to Ichalkaranji to monitor the situation.
District collector
Laxmikant Deshmukh had called for a peace committee meeting in the
evening, but it was called off after curfew was imposed.
Deshmukh told
reporters that additional police forces have been deployed.
A bandh was observed in Shirol, Hatkanangle, Pethvadgaon, Murgud and
Yadrav villages.
