Amravati: The Amravati Police on Monday arrested former Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Dr Anil Bonde along with a few other party members in connection with the violence over the weekend. The police is already in search of another BJP leader Praveen Pote, who is apparently missing from Amravati.
According to a report by the Indian Express, the latest arrests were in connection with the riots that took place on Saturday in the Kotwali area of Amravati when BJP called a bandh. Around 6,000 of its party members and allied organisations like Bajrang Dal had taken to the streets to execute the bandh on Saturday. It led to two shops belonging to the minority communities being torched, stones were hurled at shops during a bandh called by BJP workers in protest against the rally by Muslims the day before.
On Friday, the bandh was called by Raza academy and other Muslim groups against alleged anti-minority violence in Tripura. During this protest, there was a stone thrown at the residence of Pote in which a window was shattered and a person sustained injuries.
The BJP had called the bandh to protest after the violence that broke out in Nashik, Amravati, and Nanded on friday, 12 November.
According to media reports, BJP leaders Bonde and Pote were some of the main people involved in calling for the bandh on Saturday.
Following the violence, a curfew was imposed and the internet was disconnected in the area. Senior officers of Maharashtra police are currently camping in Amravati.
Sixty people have been arrested for the violence that rocked Maharashtra’s Amravati town during Bhartiya Janta Party sponsored bandh, The Indian Express, quoting police officials.
Meanwhile, eight BJP activists have been detained in Warud and Shendurjanaghat villages for raising slogans, reported news agency PTI.
NCP Spokesperson and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik accused BJP and says that BJP is responsible for Amravati Riots. He claims that in Amravati, BJP leader Anil Bonde had hatched the riot plot. Money had come from Mumbai to provoke riots. Nawab Malik has levelled a serious and sensational allegation on BJP MLA, and said that money was distributed by a BJP MLA.
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