Amravati, October 5: A violent protest in Amravati city, Maharashtra, resulted in injuries to 21 police personnel after a large mob engaged in stone-pelting while demanding action against Hindu seer Yati Narsinghanand Maharaj for his alleged objectionable remarks about Prophet Mohammad.
The incident occurred late Friday night outside the Nagpuri Gate police station, where demonstrators gathered to press for the registration of a formal complaint against Narsinghanand, who is based in Ghaziabad. In response to the unrest, police have registered a case against the seer for his remarks.
Amravati Police Commissioner Navin Chandra Reddy reported that the protest began around 8:15 PM when a sizable group, including members from various organizations, arrived at the police station to seek justice. Initially, the in-charge officer informed the mob that an FIR had already been filed and that an investigation was underway. However, following the circulation of a video featuring the seer’s comments, tensions escalated as the crowd returned to the police station.
During efforts to calm the situation, the police were met with hostility as members of the mob began hurling stones. Senior police officials managed to disperse the crowd, and additional forces were deployed to restore order.
The aftermath of the violence saw significant damage, with at least 10 police vehicles vandalized. In total, a case has been filed against approximately 1,200 individuals, with 26 of them already identified by the authorities.
In response to the unrest, police issued a prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), prohibiting assemblies of five or more people in the Nagpuri Gate area.
The police have charged Yati Narsinghanand Maharaj with multiple offenses under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 299, which pertains to acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and Section 302, which addresses deliberately wounding the religious sentiments of others. Police continue to investigate and search for those involved in the rioting.
