Bhiwandi tense after 20-year-old’s death

Vicky Dhephe, 20, died at J J Hospital on Sunday due to head injuries he suffered early Thursday. Dhephe, along with two of his friends, were assaulted by a group of men armed with sticks and knives. His family members claimed the assailants were BJP members and relatives of party MLA from Bhiwandi West Mahesh Chaughule.

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Soon after the news of Dhephe’s death broke Sunday morning, his friends hit the streets resorting to stone pelting and forcing shops to shut down in Dhamankar Naka and Gauri Pada areas. Police said over a dozen vehicles were damaged, included two police vans. The mob also hurled stones at Chaughule’s house and damaged his car.

Normalcy was restored late evening. The police, meanwhile, registered a murder case and arrested two persons. The RPI demanded that Chaughule be booked too.

The BJP legislator, meanwhile, claimed that a scuffle between youths was being given a political colour and that he was unnecessarily being dragged into the issue. “It was a fight between two groups. I was not even present here. I was in Manali when this incident took place,” he said.

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