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Arson, looting and violence continued in Kalyan for the fourth day in succession even as the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who is also in charge of the home portfolio, toured the affected areas on Saturday.
Stone-throwing and arson continued and a row of shanties near Bail Bazar were set ablaze by miscreants. Prompt action by the fire brigade prevented any loss of life though seven of the houses were completely charred.
According to DCP Kiran Shellar, 62 persons have been arrested so far.
"Irrespective of party affiliations, I've told the police to be stern," he told rediff.com. "The problem is being sought to be given a communal colour by some vested interests to extract political mileage," he added.
Bhujbal met families displaced from Rohidaswada, where the rioting began on Tuesday. He was besieged with complaints of police inefficiency and complicity with the rioters.
Earlier in the morning, tension prevailed near the busy Sahajanand Chowk as over 500 BJP and RSS workers gathered to celebrate the Maharashtrian new year. However, the police refused to let them take out a procession following Friday's incident.
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