Nashik, Oct 16: The bust of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj situated at Kurne Galli was found beheaded on Monday morning. The news spread in the town and a mob went on the rampage pelting stones at vehicles in Sinnar and on the Nashik-Pune road.
The mob damaged 12 buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation at the Sinnar bus depot, eight buses on the Nashik-Pune road and five buses on the Nashik-Shirdi Road. A bus of the MSRTC’s Pathardi (Ahmednagar) depot was set on fire in Sinnar. There were no casualties. A bus proceeding from Gujarat to Pune was also damaged. Traffice on the Nashik-Pune road and the Sinnar-Shirdi road was paralysed till 1 pm.
An unannounced bandh was observed in Sinnar town. Incidents of stoning were also reported from Nashik Road area. The incident caused tension in Sinnar town, where three companies of SRP were deployed to prevent any untoward incidents. Several organisations including the Republican Party of India, the Shiv Sena and the BJP condemned the incident and appealed for peace. Thebust of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj moulded in plaster of paris had beeninstalled in Kurne Galli of Sinnar town about five years ago. The bust andits surrounding area was being painted and beautified for the past two days. District superintendent of police Bhagwant More, who is camping in Sinnar, said the situation was tense but under control. Nashik MP Uttamrao Dhikale and Sena leader Babanrao Gholap visited the town and appealed for peace.
Leaders of Nationalist Congress Party, Congress, RPI andHindu organisationshave strongly condemned the incident and appealed to people to maintainpeace.