Yavat in Pune witnesses mob violence, arson over Whatsapp post; youth detained

Pune, Aug 1 (PTI) An irate mob vandalised properties and indulged in arson in Yavat in Pune's Daund tehsil on Friday afternoon over an objectionable post allegedly uploaded on social media by a youth from a different community, police officials said.

A motorcycle was set ablaze and a bakery was damaged, the officials said, adding teargas shells had to be lobbed to bring the situation under control amid large mobs taking to the streets to vent their ire.

There is heavy police presence in the village at the moment and peace and order has been restored, these officials said.

The youth, who hails from outside the village, had kept an objectionable Whatsapp post, and he has been detained, Sandip Singh Gill, Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural), told PTI.

"On being alerted, we detained the youth and the process of taking action was underway. However, by then the post went viral, leading to trouble in the village already tense due to some previous incidents. The mob vandalised structures belonging to members of the opposite community hailing from outside," Gill said.

Another official said residents of the village, who are from both communities, are opposed to some persons who are "non-native" and hail from outside the region.

This official said the village was tense recently after the desecration of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at a temple.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was in Pune to attend an event, said a youth, who hails from outside, had put up an objectionable post about a Hindu priest raping someone, which angered residents.

"To disperse the mob, police had to resort to lathi charge. The situation in Yavat is now under control and peace prevails. People from both communities are together and efforts are on to defuse tensions. Some persons keep such objectionable posts just to create tension. Strict action will be taken against them. No one has the right to post objectionable content," the CM said. PTI SPK BNM