Tension in Bhiwandi over 'provocative' post, cases registered

Police today registered cases under sections of IPC and IT Act against unidentified persons after an allegedly provocative post on a social networking site sparked outrage in some areas of the communally-sensitive powerloom town of Bhiwandi neighbouring Mumbai.
The cases were registered under section 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship) of Indian Penal Code and section 67-a of the Information Technology Act, at police stations in Bhiwandi city, Bhoiwada and Rabodi in Thane on the complaint of Aftab Hussan Saikh, police said.
Earlier, tension gripped Bhiwandi, which has witnessed communal tension in the past, in the wee hours today as the word spread about the post, with a mob taking to streets.

Meanwhile, security has been stepped up in Bhiwandi city and Rabodi area to prevent any untoward incident.
Police did not confirm reports of a mob attacking some vehicles and ensuing lathicharge on them.
Thane Police Commissioner K P Raghuvanshi visited the powerloom town to take stock of the situation.
Police are engaging leaders from both the communities to prevent any escalation in the situation and have appealed to members of both the communities to observe restraint.