Inciting riot in Amravati lands Maharashtra BJP leader in police custody

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Dr Anil Bonde and other party members landed in Amravati police custody on Monday for their alleged role in the violence in the city during a BJP called a bandh on Saturday.

Another senior BJP leader Praveen Pote, who is at large after the incident, is facing a police lookout.

The BJP leader has been arrested on the charge of inciting the violence in which shops and other properties belonged to the minority community had met the vandalism by protestors who are allegedly linked to BJP and allied organisations like Bajrang Dal.

According to Police, nearly 6000 people took out a rally during the bandh in the Kotwali area of Amravati in protest against the march carried out by Muslim groups a day before in Amravati to protest against anti-minority violence in Tripura.

Reports suggested that during the Friday rally by a Muslim group, some had thrown stones at the residence of Pote, injuring one person and shattering the window of his house.

An official said that Bonde and Pote were some of the main people involved in calling for the bandh on Saturday.

So far, a total of 72 arrests have been made in 26 FIRs registered at four police stations in Amravati in connection with the violence on Friday and Saturday.