A minor altercation between the driver of a minister’s vehicle and a group of locals escalated into violent clashes between two groups in Jalgaon district, Maharashtra on Wednesday. The initial dispute occurred late Tuesday night in the Kasaiwada area of Palthi village. The confrontation soon spiraled into arson and vandalism, with incidents of violence continuing until early Wednesday morning. However, authorities confirmed that the situation had since been brought under control.
What led to the violent clashes in Maharashtra’s Palthi Village?
A confrontation erupted in Kasaiwada when the driver of state minister Gulabrao Patil’s car honked at a group of locals, asking them to clear the way, an official told PTI. Patil, the Shiv Sena leader and minister for water supply and sanitation, was not in the vehicle at the time, though a family member was reportedly traveling in it.
Although the argument initially ended on the spot, some residents later gathered at the village square to stage a protest. This led to the arrival of another group, triggering clashes between the two sides, the official added.
Several shops in the village were set ablaze, and public property suffered significant damage, according to the official.
To restore order, additional police personnel, including the State Reserve Police Force and Riot Control Police teams, were deployed in Maharashtra‘s Palthi village, along with fire brigade vehicles. The official confirmed that the situation has since been brought under control.
A number of individuals have been detained on charges of arson and vandalism, and an investigation into the incident is currently underway, he added.
(With PTI Inputs)