Pune: Pune City Police have registered cross cases against leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress following a violent clash involving stone-pelting and vandalism outside Congress Bhavan in Pune on Sunday.
Case 1: BJP Leaders and Workers Booked
In the first case, police have booked around 50 BJP workers, including Pune city BJP president Dhiraj Ghate and BJYM Pune chief Dushyant Mohol, for alleged stone-pelting, vandalism and assault.
The FIR was registered at Shivajinagar Police Station based on a complaint filed by Prachi Nitin Dudhane (42), a homemaker from Karve Nagar. She stated that on February 15, between 12.30 pm and 2 pm, a group led by BJP office-bearers gathered outside Congress Bhavan, raised slogans, hurled stones, injured three Congress workers and damaged several vehicles parked on the premises.
According to the complaint, Pune city BJP president Dhiraj Ghate, youth wing leader Dushyant Mohol, and nearly 50 to 60 party workers have been mentioned as accused regarding the matter.
The case has been registered under Sections 118(1), 189(2), 189(3), 324(4), and 191(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant sections of the Maharashtra Police Act.
Senior police officers visited the spot soon after the incident. Electronic evidence, including video footage, has been collected. Further investigation is underway. No arrests have been made so far, police confirmed.
Case 2: Congress Leaders and Workers Booked
In a cross-complaint related to the same incident, Congress city president Arvind Shinde, along with Akshay Jain, Sagar Ghadve, Gaurav Vijay Balande (deputy president of the Kasba constituency), and other party workers, have also been booked.
The case was registered following a complaint by Punit Shrikant Joshi (35), BJP Kothrud president. Joshi alleged that while BJP workers were protesting peacefully outside Congress Bhavan, Congress leaders and workers began pelting stones at them.
He claimed that BJP workers Swapnil Dilip Gade and Mahesh Gite were injured in the attack, and a woman police constable on duty was also hurt.
This case has been registered under Sections 118(1), 189(2), 189(3), 324(4) and 191(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Sections 37(1)(3), 135, 112 and 117 of the Maharashtra Police Act.
The violence reportedly broke out near Congress Bhavan, the city headquarters of the Indian National Congress, after BJP and Congress workers came face to face during protests. The protest arose after an alleged controversial remark made by Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal regarding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan.
Earlier, an FIR had been registered against Sapkal in Pune for his comment, which BJP leaders claimed hurt the sentiments of followers of the Maratha king.
Following the FIR, BJP workers staged a protest outside Congress Bhavan, demanding action, while Congress workers gathered in support of their state president, leading to tension between party workers of both parties. However, later the tensions turned into stone pelting, leaving several people injured and many vehicles damaged at the spot.
