Police Inspector, 4 others injured in slum dwellers’ skirmish

A police inspector and four others were injured during stone pelting between two groups after removal of encroachments from Navi Bhaliti area of Dhule city on Tuesday evening. Cases were registered late at night with six persons arrested and on Wednesday, remanded to police custody for six days.

By evening, Dhule Municipal Corporation (DMC), assisted by the police, had removed around 40 encroachments from gate number 36. Angry slum dwellers complained that DMC was trying to force them into the Gharkul scheme and marched to the collector’s office to begin their agitation.

Shiv Sena district president Hilal Mali’s brother Ravindra Mali, son Raj, and others arrived at the scene and argued with DMC staff. Meanwhile, slum dwellers started pelting stones with another group retaliating and leading to a full-on skirmish.

After he came to know about the ongoing riot, Azadnagar police station in-charge, PI Ramesh Singh Pardeshi, arrived with additional police force and tried to meditate between the two groups. However, stone pelting and rioting continued and Mr Pardeshi too was injured in the clash.

Speaking to The Asian Age, Mr Pardeshi said that there was a riot and stone throwing between two parties and he had gone to separate the rioters. “Something sharp hit me on the head. However I managed to pacify the mob,” he said.