Azad Maidan violence: court rejects bail to 2 accused

A local court on Monday rejected the bail applications of two accused in custody for their alleged role in riots at Azad Maidan on August 11.

Magistrate P S Rathod declined to grant the relief to Salim Chaukia and Faisal Hussain who are accused of snatching a gun from police and torching a media van respectively  when the mob, attending the rally in South Mumbai to condemn alleged attacks on Muslims in Assam and Myanmar, turned violent.

A sessions court had last week granted bail to 14 accused who were arrested for their alleged role in the riots. Five of the 63 persons were earlier discharged after the police found that there was no case against them.

Two youths were killed and 52 people, including 44 policemen, injured on August 11 when the protesters attending the rally went on the rampage, attacking the police, media persons and torching vehicles.