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Yogesh Pawar in Kalyan
Violence gripped the town of Kalyan, 60 km from Mumbai, and its adjoining areas following the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Ashok Walunj on the Valli Peer intersection of Ambedkar Marg on Tuesday night.
Widespread arson, looting and two stabbing incidents on Wednesday left five dead and 14 injured.
The police imposed curfew in Bazarpeth police station area under which the intersection falls.
Three State Reserve Police companies, 150 Rapid Action Force personnel and the police were deployed to check the violence.
Minister of State for Home Kripashankar Singh visited the town to monitor the situation.
"This seems to be the handiwork of the Hindutva brigade, which is trying to foment a Gujarat-like situation in Maharashtra. I have instructed the police to deal with troublemakers in a tough manner," he told rediff.com.
Ashok (32) was going to his nephew and Bajrang Dal activist Umesh Walunj's house with aunt Ambabai (54) when he was killed.
An alarmed Ambabai screamed and died of a heart attack on the spot, according to witnesses.
Less than two blocks away the Thane Commissionerate Zone III Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kiran Shellar, was at the Shankarrao Zunjarrao auditorium, where a play, Pati Majhe Chhatrapati, was being staged.
Hindu activists had disrupted the play at Pune last week. Following orders from the home ministry, the police was maintaining a vigil at the theatre when a member in the audience, Devdutt Mane, got a call from his home telling him of what had happened. He alerted the DCP and the cops swung into action.
"I took 15 personnel and rushed to the spot, where a mob had gathered. Despite warnings, stone-throwing continued and we had to lathi-charge them," Shellar told rediff.com
"When they began hurling petrol bombs, we had no option but to open fire," he added.
Over 15 shops and 32 homes were looted and set ablaze. As if to make matters worse, some youths opened fire in Ansari Chowk. Though no one was hurt, people hit the panic button.
Ramzan Ali Munnawar Ali (23), a rickshaw driver, was caught by a mob and attacked with swords. Later, he was rushed to Amman hospital where he was recuperating along with another youth, Akbar Sheikh Ismail (22), on whom acid spilt as he was filling bulbs with it to use as missiles.
Sameer Ahmed, a tongawallah, was beaten to death near Ahilyabai Chowk.
Another youth, Amar Gupte, was attacked with swords and iron rods. He was battling for life at the civic Rukminibai hospital.
When the crowds got out of the control at Dudh Naka, the police again opened fire. Nusrat Jamatbi (41) died when she was shot in the abdomen.
The Shiv Sena has called for a bandh in Kalyan and Dombivili.
With the Kalyan-Dombivili Municipal Transport calling off its services, children had a tough time reaching the schools.
Earlier Report: 3 killed in violence in Kalyan; curfew imposed
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