Clashes in Maharashtra town: 4 people killed, injured include 113 cops

Four people have been killed and around
176 people - 63 locals and 113 policemen
- injured after clashes broke out between
members of two communities at Dhule in
north Maharashtra, official sources said.
The violence started after a fight broke
out at a street food stall and soon spread
to Machibazar and Madhavpura areas of
the city, they said, adding police used
water cannons to disperse the mob.
"The clash between two communities
broke out at around 3 pm yesterday.
Police first resorted to lathicharge, and
later firing. Some people were killed and
others received minor injuries. The Rapid
Action Force (RAF) and State Reserve
Police personnel are there and the
situation is peaceful right now," Deven
Bharti, IG, Law and Order, Maharashtra
said this morning.
Curfew was imposed in the area after
violence and is still in place. Two cases
have been registered against unknown
people for rioting, arson, destruction of
public property and deterring a public
servant from discharging his duty.
Sources say the police had to resort to
firing as the situation went out of control,
adding that the deaths could be because
of bullet injuries.
Post-mortem reports are awaited to
ascertain the exact cause of death.
When contacted, Shiv Sena MLA from
Dhule Sharad Patil told PTI that a police
sub-inspector and an assistant police
inspector were among those injured.
35-year-old man Kailash Waghare was
seriously injured in the incident after
being hit by a bullet and admitted to a
local hospital, he said.