On Wednesday night, a violent clash erupted between two groups of youths in the Kiradpura area of Aurangabad, leading to chaos and destruction. The trigger of the fight was allegedly the chanting of objectionable and communally charged slogans by a group of bikers. The altercation soon escalated into stone pelting, followed by the torching of police vehicles. Witnesses claim that some youths from the area thrashed the group of bike-borne youths after they chanted the objectionable slogans.
The incident resulted in significant damage, with at least 13 vehicles, including seven government and six private, being set on fire. The clash also left 16 police personnel injured, and some sustained minor injuries while trying to stop the mob from getting violent. Additional DG (Law and Order) Kulwant Kumar Sarangal stated, "We have rushed additional forces, including two companies of SRPF and two superintendents of police - Nimit Goyal and Ganesh Shinde - to the spot. A detailed inquiry into the incident will be carried out, and suspects involved in rioting and arson will not be spared."
To bring the situation under control, the police had to use tear gas and pellets to disperse the crowd, and some of the injured were hospitalized. Police also had to fire in the air to deter the violent mob. Eventually, the situation was brought under control at four in the morning, and police have started taking strict action against the rioters. A case has been registered against 400 to 500 unknown persons under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting, attempted murder, assaulting government officials, and damaging government property.
Meanwhile, MP Imtiaz Jaleel, who sustained minor injuries in the clash, went into the temple and ensured that none of the miscreants entered the temple. He stayed there to ensure the safety of the temple staffers and their families and issued videos appealing for peace and asking people not to fall prey to any kind of rumors related to the temple. The Commissioner of Police, Nikhil Gupta, has assured that strict action will be taken against the miscreants, and the situation is currently peaceful and under control.
