Social media post sparks communal tension in Pune's Yavat

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2 days ago

Communal violence erupted in Yavat village of Pune's Daund taluka on Friday over a social media post about an alleged rape in Madhya Pradesh, The Hindu reported.
No person was injured in the violence, according to the police.
The social media post referred to the alleged rape of two minor girls by a 60-year-old priest inside a temple in Madya Pradesh, according to The Hindu.
The person, whose post allegedly sparked tensions, was detained by the police, The Indian Express reported. The man is not a resident of the village.
The police said that they were investigating whether he was associated with any group, The Indian Express reported.
Sunil Phulari, the special inspector general for Kolhapur, said that stones were thrown at cars during the violence on Friday.
'Two car windows were damaged, one motorcycle was also torched, one bakery also damaged,' The Hindu quoted the police officer as saying. 'One religious prayer place is also damaged to some extent.'
The police fired tear gas shells to stop the violence.
The situation has been brought under control, the police said.
Phulari said that the incident was sudden and that action will be taken against residents and persons from outside the village who were involved in the violence.
Superintendent of Police Sandip Gill said that the persons suspected to be involved in the vandalism and stone-throwing were yet to be detained.
After the villagers objected to the social media status, persons from both religious communities visited the home of the person who allegedly posted it. They questioned him why he had posted it when the situation in the village was sensitive, The Hindu quoted an eye witness as saying.
The area has been tense since July 26 when a statue of 17th-century ruler Shivaji was allegedly vandalised in the village.
Leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Hindutva groups and residents had organised a rally to condemn the vandalism of the statue, The Indian Express reported.
The police had held meetings with the villagers and political leaders to keep the law and order under control, and had taken two persons into custody in connection with the incident.
The village had been peaceful following the vandalism of the statue.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the violence on Friday started 'because an outsider posted a wrong status'.
'The status implied that a priest had committed rape or something of that sort, which caused tension and people came onto the streets,' Fadnavis told reporters.
The police had to resort to a lathi charge to disperse the crowd, he said.
'Some persons keep such objectionable posts just to create tension,' the chief minister said, adding that action will be taken against them.