Nashik remains tense as curfew continues in 7 villages, 117 people arrested

Nashik remained tense as curfew continued in seven villages of Igatpuri and Trimbakeshwar tehsils due to clashes and stone pelting following an alleged rape attempt of a minor girl by a teenager. The  police have so far made 117 arrests in connection with rioting, stone-pelting and arson.

While curfew was imposed in eight villages in Igatpuriand Trimbakeshwar tehsils in Nashik on Wednesday night, it waslifted from one village on Friday. ccording to police, the situation in Nashik city and parts of the district remained under control and no untoward incident was reported in the last two days.

Protests had erupted in adjoining villages and spreadto Nashik after a 16-year-old boy allegedly tried to rape afive-year-old girl at Talegaon village near Trimbakeshwar.

Meanwhile, condition of the minor victim, who was admitted in Nashik Civil Hospital is stable and improving. Addressing a joint press conference, Special InspectorGeneral (Nashik range), Vinay Kumar Choube and Commissioner of Police Ravindra Singhal said, "In Nashik rural, 82 personshave been arrested and 23 offences for rioting, stone pelting and arson have been registered so far."

Besides, in Nashik city, 20 cases were registered indifferent police stations and 72 persons involved in theseincidents since Sunday have been identified, of which 35 havebeen arrested, they said. 

"Curfew was clamped in eight villages in the districton Wednesday night. However, curfew in Vilholi village inIgatpuri tehsil was lifted today, while that in seven other villages will continue till Saturday," they said.

Mobile internet services continued to remain suspended to prevent spread of rumours and are likely to be restored tomorrow, after taking a review of the situation, Singhal said.

"Police are keeping a tab on social media to find outthe spread of any troublesome messages. So far, seven persons were booked for allegedly circulating wrong messages on social networking sites and one person was also traced for spreading messages on Facebook," the Commissioner said.

Choube said, District Collector B Radhakrishnan and District superintendent of Police (Rural) Ankush Shinde are visiting the sensitive areas in Nashik and appealing people to assist the administration and police for keeping peace.

"City police also conducted raids on some people's houses and recovered two pistols, five live cartridges andother arms on Thursday," Singhal added. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Social Justice, Ramdas Athawale visited the city on Friday night and will hold talks with the district and police authorities on Saturday over the situation, an official statement said.