Parbhani police arrest 54 people in connection with violence during bandh

MUMBAI: The police have arrested 54 people in connection with the violence in Parbhani on Wednesday during a bandh called to protest the vandalism of a replica of the Constitution near a statue of Dalit icon Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

- Saurabha Kulshreshtha

A day after protesters set vehicles ablaze and pelted stones at shops, leading to prohibitory orders being imposed, the authorities succeeded in restoring peace on Thursday. But it wasn't long before political parties started trading barbs over the incident. While the Shiv Sena (UBT) accused the police of detaining innocent youths and demanded compensation for the people who suffered losses due to the violence, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis called the violence unnecessary and urged people to maintain peace.

The unrest began Tuesday evening when Sopan Pawar, a resident of Murtizapur village, allegedly vandalized a replica of the Constitution kept at the base of Ambedkar's statue near the district collector's office. While local activists apprehended Pawar and handed him over to the police, a large group of protesters torched vehicles and pelted stones at shops during a bandh called by Ambedkarite activists in the city.