Maharashtra CM urges Shah for action against communal twist to Palghar lynching

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take action against those giving communal colour to the lynching of three men by a mob in Palghar district.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take action against those giving communal colour to the lynching of three men by a mob in Palghar district.

The state government has already ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident that took place on April 16.

State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh earlier warned against giving any communal colour to the incident, as two of the three deceased were believed to be seers.

In a video message, Thackeray said he received a call on Monday from Amit Shah who himself said there is no communal angle to the Palghar mob lynching incident.

"I have urged him to initiate action against those who are giving a communal twist to the Palghar mob lynching, which is factually incorrect. I also informed him that my government is going to take action against the perpetrators," Thackeray said.

The chief minister earlier said stern action will be taken against those involved in the lynching of the three men.

"The Palghar incident has been acted upon. The police have arrested all those accused who attacked the 2 sadhus, 1 driver and the police personnel, on the day of the crime itself," Thackeray tweeted late Sunday night.

"Nobody guilty in this heinous crime and shameful act will be spared and they will be brought to justice in the strongest way possible," he added.

Deshmukh said those who attacked and who died in the Palghar mob killings are not from different religions.

"I have ordered Maharashtra police and @MahaCyber1 to take action against anyone instigating communal hatred in the society or on social media," he said in a tweet on Sunday.

"Police have detained 101 people involved in the killing of three Surat bound people in Palghar. I have also ordered a high-level inquiry into this killings," he said.

Deshmukh said police are keeping an eye on those who wanted to use the incident to create a rift in society.

Palghar police on Monday suspended two policemen for alleged dereliction of duty in the wake of the incident that took place on April 16 night when three men from Kandivali in Mumbai were going in a car towards Surat in Gujarat to attend a funeral. Their vehicle was stopped near a village in Palghar.

The three were dragged out of their car and beaten to death with sticks by a mob on suspicion that they were thieves.

The deceased were identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri (70), Sushilgiri Maharaj (35), and their car driver Nilesh Telgade (30).

(PTI REPORT)