In a violent clash in Maharashtra’s Nashik city, 21 police personnel were injured and three police vehicles damaged late Tuesday night during a violent protest by Islamist against the demolition of an unauthorised dargah. The incident unfolded in the Kathe Galli area as municipal authorities prepared to execute a Bombay High Court order mandating the removal of the Satpeer Baba Dargah. According to officials, the demolition was initiated by the trustees of the dargah themselves at around 11:30 pm, in compliance with the court order. However, the situation turned volatile when a Islamist mob gathered at Usmania Chowk to oppose the removal. Despite attempts by police officers and Muslim community leaders to pacify the crowd, the group began pelting stones, injuring security personnel and damaging official vehicles.
“Police resorted to a lathi-charge and used teargas shells to bring the situation under control,” Nashik Commissioner of Police Sandeep Karnik said. “Three police vehicles were damaged and 21 officers were injured during the attack. The dargah was demolished in the early hours of Wednesday. We have detained 15 individuals and further arrests are underway.” Deputy Commissioner of Police Kirankumar Chavan added that 57 motorcycles belonging to suspected agitators were also seized. “The crowd did not heed the dargah trustees or the police’s appeals. Some miscreants created a ruckus and violence ensued. Mild force was necessary to control the situation,” he said.
The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) deployed nearly 50 personnel along with four earth excavators, six trucks, and two dumpers to complete the demolition. The civic body’s anti-encroachment team had earlier cleared nearby unauthorised structures in February, but local residents and certain Hindu groups had insisted that the dargah itself was an illegal structure and should also be removed. Nashik Central MLA Devyani Pharande had previously criticized the February drive as incomplete and reiterated that the entire encroached site needed to be cleared. Following Tuesday night’s violence, officials confirmed that the situation in the city is now peaceful and under control. Law enforcement remains on high alert, and an FIR is being registered against those involved in the violent protest.
