Aurangabad Violence Kills Two: Petty Incidents, WhatsApp Rumours Fuel Clashes; Section 144 Imposed

At least two people died and scores of others got injured which included 10 police personnel as clashes broke out between two communities over illegal water supply connection in Aurangabad city on Friday night.

Aurangabad, May 13: At least two people died and scores of others got injured which included 10 police personnel as clashes broke out between two communities over illegal water supply connection in Aurangabad city on Friday night. Violence escalated with every passing minute and police had to enforce Section 144 of the CrPC as well as suspend the internet in the city for quite some time. With All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi  appealing for a probe into the violence, it is imperative to know what started the violence in the first place.

#Maharashtra: Police deployed in violence-affected area of Aurangabad. Clash had erupted between groups of two communities on Friday night. Section 144 (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) imposed in the city. pic.twitter.com/FDIG4Wmas7

— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2018

Looks terrible 🙁 #Aurangabad pic.twitter.com/sVPQyq4KNV

— AB (@Beingmazeem) May 12, 2018

How it all started?

The Aurangabad incident which started with the dispute over illegal water supply connection and soon flared up into a communal clash isn’t something that happened just by chance. Reportedly, police officials claim that tension was brewing in the area for quite a few days. Just 8 days prior to the incident, there was an altercation over the renovation of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s statue which assumed a communal tone in the Shahganj area of the city. In the next few days, there was a visible tension after some people demanded the shifting of fruit hawkers from the City Chowk, Gandhi Statue and Shahgunj market to a faraway place during the month of Ramzan. This didn’t go down well with members of the other community and hence there was much tension. Thereafter, communal tension even flared after some people turned one of the fruit hawkers carts upside down.

Aurangabad CP Milind Bharambe appeals for peace. Section 144 of the CrPC imposed in Aurangabad city. Situation has been brought under control.#Maharashtra #Aurangabad pic.twitter.com/IZdlGtsCLm

— amar singh chouhan (@AMAR4INC) May 12, 2018

Taking all these incidents into account, police sources suspect that there are people who have been trying to disrupt the communal harmony over the past few days. AIMIM MLA from Aurangabad, Sayed Imtiyaz Jaleel has also alleged the same stating that the Friday night violence was a pre-planned conspiracy by some people who want create communal disturbances in the city.Moreover, it has been said that instigating messages were doing rounds on the social media, especially on WhatsApp which flared up the violence.

#Maharashtra: Early morning #visuals from Aurangabad, where clash had erupted b/w groups of two communities on Friday night. Section 144 (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) imposed in the city, Locals say, ‘the situation is peaceful right now, police deployed.’ pic.twitter.com/bujXlq0DYM

— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2018

Meanwhile, locals now claim that the situation is peaceful and police have been deployed in the area to check any untoward incident.