Curfew clamped as violence escalates in Navi Mumbai

Mumbai, Mar 18: Curfew was clamped in Khoparkhairne police station area today (Mar 18, 2006) as violence spread in the satellite town of Navi Mumbai with mobs fighting pitched battles with the State Reserve Police (SRP) and the Rapid Action Force (RAF).

After an overnight assault on Nerul police station and attack at Rabale police station this afternoon, villagers stormed the township of Koparkhairne, forcing police to resort to lathi charge and use tear gas shells to disperse the violent mobs.

The mob burned at least two motorcycles and damaged several vehicles when they rampaged through Khoparkhairne, witnesses said.

Alarmed at the esclating violence, authorities clamped curfew to bring the situation under control at Khoparkhairne this afternoon, police sources said.

Angry crowd also attacked the residence of Excise Minister and Guardian Minister of Navi Mumbai Ganesh Naik for his ''failure'' to calm down the situation following the eve-teasing incident during the Holi revelry on Wednesday, resulting in police firing the next day which claimed two lives. One person had died in group clashes and 75 others, including several policemen, were wounded.

Mobs clashed repeatedly with police, pelting them with stones at Teen Taki square and at super store at Khoparkhairne, witnesses added.

The rampaging crowd also held up the traffic on the Mumbai-Pune highway at Sanpada for some time before the police reached there.

The electronic media had a tough time covering the violence as police had to repulse repeated attacks on OB (Outside Broadcasting) vans parked near the Khorparkhairne police post.

Police lathicharged a mob at Nerul last night which tried to force shopkeepers to shut down their establishments in protest against riots between villagers and migrant workers at Ghansoli, the first flash point which triggered violence on Wednesday. It has now engulfed a large area of Navi Mumbai. When one of the protestors was hurt in the melee, the enraged crowd tried to storm Nerul police station. However, police chased away the stone-throwing crowd of more than 200 people hurling lathis at them, witnesses said.

Police detained several people, including an alleged activist of Shiv Sena, for instigating attack at Nerul police station. A few policemen were also wounded in the mob attack.

Situation was now stated to be under control but some person was still reported in the area.

The agitation began on the Holi day following a clash between residents of Ghansoli village and migrant workers who live in a colony outside the village. Smearing of colour on the face of a village girl led to the clash which subsequently spread, police sources said, adding the conflict was shaping into local versus outsiders issue.

The migrants, who have primarily been working as labourers, have been settled at Koparkhairane, Turbhe, Jui Nagar and Nerul villages in Navi Mumbai for many years.

UNI