Maha registers 12 cases across 6 districts over social media posts, 6 booked

At least 12 cases related to communal tensions have been registered across six districts of Maharashtra including Kolhapur and Ahmednagar over the last three days, a police official said on Tuesday.

A 29-year-old man from Kolhapur, who allegedly used Tipu Sultan's image with the caption Bharat Ka Raja on social media, has been arrested on the charge of causing enmity between two communities, he said.

Kolhapur and Ahmednagar districts witnessed violence last week over social media posts about 18th century Mysuru state ruler Tipu Sultan and 17th century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

"We have registered offences against six persons over the last two days in Kolhapur, Ahmednagar and Nashik districts and arrested one of them from Kolhapur," the official said.

One of the six men included a 22-year-old from Parner in Ahmednagar district. A case was registered against him over a social media post.

Cases were registered against four others hailing from Uttar Pradesh for causing enmity between two groups at Malegaon in Nashik district.

The four had come for a career guidance programme for college students at Malegaon, and allegedly started comparing religions during the programme, the police official said.

They were booked under Section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, he said, adding that no arrests were made in this case.

In Kolhapur, where Internet services remained suspended for 31 hours last week, police has registered four cases and arrested 41 persons.

In Ahmednagar, cases were registered against four persons after they were found carrying Aurangzeb's poster during a procession in Fakirwada area of Sangamner.

Two days later, an incident of stone pelting was reported during the rally organised by a Hindu outfit.

A 17-year-old boy, resident of Kasbe Digras village in Sangli district, allegedly used an image of Afzal Khan, an adversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as his display picture on WhatsApp with the caption 'Baap to baap hota hain' which led to tensions in the area on Monday.

A case was registered against him under IPC Section 298 (uttering words to deliberately wound religious feelings), the official said, adding that no arrest was made.

Subsequently, a group of unidentified persons pelted stones at a mosque in the village. An FIR was registered against more than ten persons under relevant sections of the IPC including rioting, he said.

A group of unidentified persons allegedly threw red colour on a religious place of the Muslim community at Pusegaon in Satara district on Monday morning. A case under IPC section 295 (A) (hurting religious sentiments) was registered against them, the official said.

A group of more than 40 persons attacked the residence of a Muslim man who had allegedly circulated Tipu Sultan's photo on social media on Monday morning in Wathar police station limits in Satara district on Monday.

During the attack, the mob thrashed up Akhil Maqsood Patel, his father and mother, the official said.

A case of assault and rioting was registered in this regard, he said.

A 'pirsthan' (shrine) of the Muslim community was vandalised by unidentified persons near Sajjangad in Satara tehsil. The incident came to light on Monday and a case was registered, the official said.

A case was also registered on Monday for an objectionable post on Facebook at Tumsar in Bhandara district, he said.