Six policemen were injured – disturbing videos showed one cop with a blood-stained uniform and a bloody handkerchief wrapped around his head – in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon after a mob bent on extracting vigilante justice laid siege to a police station late Thursday night.
The protests followed the rape and murder of a minor girl last week.
The cops had arrested the accused and brought him to the Jamner Police Station, after which a restive crowd gathered and began demanding the accused be handed over to them.
By 10 pm the crowd turned violent, throwing stones and setting a two-wheeler on fire. Videos seen by NDTV show the aftermath of the clash – a charred motorcycle and debris on the road.
Sources said the police managed to disperse the mob with difficulty.
The injured cops were admitted to a district hospital.
“15 people were detained for stone-pelting and the public is urged not to take the law into their hands… the accused will get the harshest punishment,” District Superintendent of Police Maheshwar Reddy,
The trigger for last night’s violence was the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in Jamner, allegedly by a 35-year-old man – Subhash Imaji Bhil – who had been on the run till his arrest Thursday.
Bhil had been hiding in Bhusawal, a small town approximately 30 km away.
On being told of his hideout, local cops quickly reached the spot and arrested him, but a large crowd gathered then too. Fortunately there was no violence at that time.
Mr Reddy had visited the spot then too and appealed for calm.
After the Jamner clash, however, a large number of security personnel have been deployed in the area and there is, for now, peace. The suspect will be produced in court later today.
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