Mumbai: The Kolhapur Police have registered a case against over 500 people and arrested 21 in connection with the Vishalgad Fort violence which erupted Sunday.
The drive to free Vishalgad — one of the most significant forts of the Maratha empire — of illegal encroachments took a communal turn when a mob attacked Gajapur, a small, predominantly Muslim hamlet at the foothills of Vishalgad fort. A total of five charges have been pressed against the accused, including Ravindra Padwal, one of the main suspects, the police told ThePrint.
Authorities are also investigating the role of former MP Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati in the violence, as he had called for the removal of encroachments from Vishalgad just days before the incident and called for a ‘Chalo Vishalgad’ rally to march to the fort 14 July.
Officials reports estimate there are over 140 encroachments at Vishalgad Fort and, apart from six to seven establishments, which are under litigation, the rest have been deemed illegal. The matter is sub judice. The call to remove these has been ongoing for months. Besides Sambhaji Raje, many Right-wing affiliated outfits have also been pursuing this matter.
“The violence that happened Sunday took place at least 3 km away from the actual Vishalgad Fort,” said Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Mahendra Pandit. “For three days prior to the incident, police arrangements were in place. Even on Sunday, 350 police personnel and 50 officers were present.”
Kolhapur Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati, father of Sambhaji Raje, has condemned the violence and blamed the administration for failing to maintain law and order. He also criticised his son’s aggressive stance.
On Tuesday, Shahu Maharaj, as he is known, reach Vishalgad. Though he was initially stopped by the police, he was later allowed to proceed. Speaking to the media, he said, “Such violence occurring twice in one year suggests there is some conspiracy involved. If the administration had given proper orders for the removal of encroachments, this incident could have been avoided.”
ThePrint reached collector of Kolhapur Amol Yedge via phone calls. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
What happened Sunday
Vishalgad Fort is deeply significant in Maratha history. This was where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj escaped in 1660 after being besieged at Panhala Fort. In 1844, the fort was part of the Kolhapur State when a rebellion arose against Daji Krishna Pandit, a Brahmin regent appointed by the British while the natural heir to the throne was still underage.
Off late, an anti-encroachment drive had been ongoing at Vishalgad Fort, spurred by the demand from various Right-wing outfits. There has also been a demand for the ban on animal slaughter in the area.
On Sunday, answering Sambhaji Raje’s ‘Chalo Vishalgad’ call, many followers travelled to the fort.
According to the police, a mob from across the state began gathering two to three days before Sunday. Prohibitory orders were in place, but on Sunday, clashes between the mob and the police led to violence. Incidents of stone pelting and arson were reported ahead of Sambhaji Raje’s arrival at the fort at around 9.40 am, with some individuals hiding from the police and causing destruction.
At least 12 policemen were injured in the conflict. According to the police, one mob was descending from Vishalgad Fort while another, that was supporting Sambhaji Raje, was approaching the fort, leading to the violence occurring 3 km from the fort.
Following this, the Muslim-dominated Gajapur saw incidents of stone pelting and property destruction with videos that surfaced online showing people even climbing and destroying religious structures. According to the local residents of Gajapur, about 42 houses were destroyed during Sunday’s violence. Houses were set on fire, and cars and two-wheelers were destroyed.
In Maharashtra's Kolhapur, mobs on Sunday climbed on the top of a mosque, planted a saffron flag and started destroying it when a rally against the illegal encroachment turned violent. pic.twitter.com/i8HkwYfoVg
— Waquar Hasan (@WaqarHasan1231) July 15, 2024
The revenue department is assisting in assessing the total property damage, with initial reports estimating a loss of around Rs 2 crore, according to the police. Ravindra Padwal, who led a mob from Pune and is affiliated with the Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Sangathan of Pune, is under investigation. “We are still reviewing footage and investigating the matter. The search for more people involved is on,” the police told ThePrint.
The anti-encroachment drive resumed Monday amid tight security and under the supervision of revenue and public works department officials. So far, about 70 structures have been demolished, said collector Amol Yedge to media persons.
Residents of Gajapur met with MP Shahu Chhatrapati Tuesday to talk about their ordeal. One local, Reshma Prabhulkar, tearfully described the incident. ThePrint has accessed a video of the interaction.
“The mob came and started throwing stones at our houses. My three children were at home. We asked them why; this is not an encroachment. They broke open our door. I asked them why they were doing this, and they said, ‘we are here to kill you’. They were carrying swords. I was hit by a stone. I took my children and ran,” she said.
Another resident, Taiyyab Ali Naik, reported that 10-12 people were inside the mosque in Gajapur when they saw a mob of 100-150 people approaching.
“They directly attacked the mosque, breaking bulbs on the minarets and using swords, knives, and hammers. The mob had come down from the fort. We then rushed to check on our homes and found that every vehicle — car or two-wheeler — had been destroyed. A girl in saffron robes hurled racist slurs at us and said none of us should be spared. Five cars outside my house were severely damaged. The mob also kicked in my door. I had to escape with my ailing parents, wife, and children,” Naik is heard saying in a video of his conversation with Shahu Chhatrapati.
The politics
Kolhapur, known as the land of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj and seen as a symbol of ‘progressive Maharashtra’, has seen a surge in incidents of communal violence over the past year. Now, Congress MLC and prominent leader from Kolhapur, Satej alias Bunty Patil, is calling for the removal of the SP.
Speaking to ThePrint, Patil said, “This is 100% an administration failure. They knew people would be coming and they should have taken adequate precautions, deployed SRPF personnel. The SP should be transferred immediately. If the police had intelligence about a mob coming from Pune, why was Ravindra Padwal not apprehended in Pune itself?” asked Patil.
Last week, MP Shahu Maharaj had suggested that the authorities should facilitate a meeting between Sambhaji Raje and the CM to find a resolution to the issue. The SP informed ThePrint that, before Sunday, the administration, including the police, held four meetings with Sambhaji Raje, as well as with his father, MP Shahu Chhatrapati.
“Even he had requested Sambhaji Raje to not go ahead with the protest because the mob cannot remain under control,” SP Pandit said, adding that the administration was also occupied with other matters, like the MLC elections and the Prime Minister’s tour
On the night before the violence, CM Eknath Shinde and Sambhaji Raje reportedly discussed the encroachments, and the latter was assured that the issue would be addressed. Despite this, he continued with his protest, the SP noted.
Bunny Patil said, “Sambhaji Raje and CM are political persons while he [SP Pandit] is the IPS. Whatever happened between them should not concern him. His job was to maintain law and order, which he failed to do.”
Patil also condemned Sambhaji Raje’s actions.
Meanwhile, former AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel has announced on his social media page that he will hold a protest to condemn Sunday’s violence.
Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar Sunday alleged, “This happened on purpose. That is what our inputs are. So, the government should find the real brains behind the riots and find a solution to this encroachment problem.”
Activist Girish Phonde from Kolhapur, too, called this “a planned conspiracy”.
Speaking to ThePrint, Phonde, who is associated with local NGO We the People of India, said, “This is an administrative failure. Police and administration only acted like spectators. The victims had no connection with the encroachment on Vishalgad. This is all a planned conspiracy keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections.”
On Tuesday, Sudhir Mungantiwar, cabinet minister for forests, cultural affairs and fisheries in Maharashtra government, told the media that this should not be made a political issue. “Our government is clear: encroachments on forts and their surroundings should be removed, and our historic forts should be well protected. This should not be made a political issue,” he said.
The SP informed ThePrint that the situation is under control, with a unit of the SRPF, 200 police personnel, and 15 officers deployed in the area.
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why there is encroachment in chatrapathi shivaji maharaj forts who made these encroachments,are these people from maharashtra ,are they from india.are they illegal migrants from bangladesh or Rohingyas.
this is intentional organized crime by islamic jihadis to convert india into gaswa e hind right where chatrapathi shivaji maharaj fought for hinduviswaraj.