Around 10 injured as two groups clash near Navratri pandal in Nalasopara East
About 10 people, including a woman, were injured in stone-pelting and assault in Nalasopara East's Achole area on Sunday night; Tulinj police have registered a case.
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Two groups clashed violently in Nalasopara East's Achole area on Sunday night during Navratri celebrations. The clash took place during a Navratri programme organised by the Achole Mitra Mandal, and tension has spread through the area. About 10 people were injured.
The trouble began on a narrow road. The programme was under way, the road was crowded and there was little space. An argument broke out between a motorcyclist and a tempo driver, and the crowd and lack of space escalated it.
It is alleged that workers of the mandal then intervened, beat up the motorcyclist and drove him away. It is being said that, to avenge the humiliation, the motorcyclist returned to the spot shortly afterwards with his associates.
The two groups then clashed fiercely. The attackers assaulted the mandal's workers and people present there with sticks, bamboo poles and stones. Several people were injured in the clash. The injured were immediately taken for treatment to the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation's Tulinj Hospital.
Tulinj police registered a case against the attackers late at night and have begun further investigation.
Both sides have made different claims about the incident. Vishal Singh, an injured mandal member, alleged that the motorcyclist, named Krishna, had been quarrelling and was therefore stopped. According to him, Krishna came back with 10 to 15 people and they pelted stones heavily. Singh also said the mandal's idol was damaged in the attack. According to him, several innocent people, including a woman, were also injured in the assault.
On the other side, Shiv Yadav, a friend of the motorcyclist Krishna, said the mandal had not left enough space on the road. He said the road was narrow, which led to the argument with the tempo driver, and in that the mandal's members beat Krishna. According to Yadav, they had gone there only to seek an explanation for this.
The violence, so early in Navratri, has created an atmosphere of fear in the area. Police have deployed tight security there.
