News Brief
Nayan Dwivedi
Jan 22, 2024, 03:03 PM | Updated 03:03 PM IST
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Tension flared up on Sunday (21 January) night in Naya Nagar, Mira Road, Maharashtra as a mob of over 50 individuals reportedly vandalised vehicles displaying 'Jai Shree Ram' flags, leading to a case of attempt to murder and rioting being registered by police on Monday (22 January).
As reported by the Times of India, Complainant Vinod Jaiswal, a 43-year-old shopkeeper from Bhayander, revealed that he and a few other vehicles with Lord Ram flags faced problems as they navigated through traffic on the Kashimira highway.
As the vehicles approached Naya Nagar Lodha Road, a mob allegedly intercepted Jaiswal's car, pulled down the flag, and started to attack them.
Jaiswal sustained knife injuries to his right cheek and is currently receiving treatment at Bhimsen Joshi Hospital in Bhayander.
According to Jaiswal, the men broke the window panes of the vehicles with iron rods and sticks.
They also pelted stones and raised slogans against them and one member of the mob assaulted him with a knife, he alleged.
Post the incident, officials from the Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar (MBVV) Commissionerate conducted a peace march in the predominantly Muslim locality.
The situation was eventually brought under control as reported by the police, who detained a few individuals based on videos captured during the incident.
Meanwhile, the Muslim side claimed that the vehicles had stopped near a mosque in Naya Nagar, attempting to burst crackers, which led to a confrontation with the locals.
It's noteworthy that the incident comes amid the much-awaited 'Pran Pratishtha' of Lord Ram at Ayodhya temple which was completed on Monday (22 January) with all religious rituals.
Nayan Dwivedi is Staff Writer at Swarajya.