An event marking the 200th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle in Pune yesterday ended on a bad note after riots broke out at a Dalit rally, killing at least one person.
Reports have it that some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to celebration of the "British victory". Violence broke out after a local group got into an argument with a crowd on its way to the Koregaon Bhima battle memorial in Shiroor tehsil.Riots at the Koregaon-Bhima battle anniversary event. Source
Incidents of stone-pelting and vandalism were also reported.
"Stone-pelting started after the argument. During the violence, some vehicles and a house in the vicinity were damaged," a PTI report quotes a police officer deployed for security at Bhima Koregaon.
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One person was reported to have died in the violence. His identity and how exactly he died is not known yet.
Police stopped traffic on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway for sometime following the incident, bringing the situation under control.
More police personnel, including companies of the State Reserve Police Force, have been deployed," the officer said.
Section 144 had been imposed around the Koregaon Bhima park in Pune as a precautionary measure before the riots broke out.
After the riot, 49 people were booked on the charges of violence and arson.
WHY VIOLENCE BROKE OUT OVER THE KOREGAON-BHIMA BATTLE ANNIVERSARY
The Koregaon Bhima battle (aka Bhima Koregaon battle) was fought between the British East India Company and the peshwa's army at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818. In it, the British faction had defeated the peshwa.
Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.
However, some right-wing groups opposed the celebration as it was for the "British victory".
Earlier in the day, Dalit leader and independent MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani visited the war memorial in the village. Mevani had also attended Elgaar Parishad held in Pune to commemorate the battle.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale demanded police protection for Dalits in the wake of the violence.
"Dalit groups visiting Bhima Koregaon were stopped at Sanaswadi near Koregaon. Stones were hurled at them. No police force was available for their protection," Athawale said in a statement
He appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to deploy additional police force in the village and provide protection to the members of local dalit community.
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