Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stated that Section 144 had been enforced for 48 hours after there was a tense moment in Yavat village in Daund Taluka of Pune District after a youth shared an objectionable social media post.
Ajit Pawar Visits the Area, Calls for Calm
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar visited the spot to speak with the people who were affected, stated that the situation was now under control and called for calm.
Speaking to the media persons, Ajit Pawar said, “After today’s incident, Section 144 has been imposed in the area for 48 hours. The situation is under control, and there is no need to panic.” He urged all citizens, regardless of caste or religion, to maintain peace and harmony and not fall for rumours.
WhatsApp Status Linked to Madhya Pradesh Incident Sparked Tension
Talking to media personnel, Ajit Pawar stated, “Following today’s incident, Section 144 has been invoked in the area for 48 hours. The situation is peaceful and there is no cause for alarm.” He appealed to all citizens, be they from any caste or religion, to keep peace and harmony intact and avoid falling prey to rumors.
“A few days ago, an incident occurred, followed by speeches from various representatives. Everything had calmed down afterwards. Recently, an incident took place in Madhya Pradesh. In connection with that, someone posted a WhatsApp status, which caused a bit of unrest,” he added.
Tensions Triggered by Outsider’s Social Media Post
He deputy CM disclosed that the tension had started after somebody had shared a WhatsApp status pertaining to a recent incident in Madhya Pradesh. The status caused tension and small-scale vandalism in the region.
“I also want to clarify that the person who posted that status has no direct connection to this place. He had come here from Nanded several years ago. Due to that post, some tension arose, and there was some vandalism. But the police are doing their job and conducting investigations and panchanamas,” Pawar added.
Heavy Police Presence and SRPF Team Deployed
He assured citizens that senior police officers and a team of the SRPF were already present in the region to maintain law and order.
“The police are working to maintain peace, and I appeal to the villagers to cooperate. The entire situation is under control. I urge everyone to trust the police and not believe in rumors. There is absolutely no atmosphere of fear. The situation is completely under control,” he later said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made an appeal to the public to keep peace and cooperation intact after tensions broke out.
There was a heavy deployment of Police staff in the area. According to Police, the incident happened in the village one week ago, and hence the situation was tense.
