Violence during funeral procession: 33 arrested, more detained

The Mumbai Police has registered cases against around 200 people and arrested 33 of them after a mob attacked the police during the funeral procession of a man from the Regar community who had allegedly committed suicide.

On Wednesday evening, suburban Nehru Nagar police detained another 15 to 20 people based on CCTV footage of Tuesday's violence and they are likely to be arrested, an official said.

Seven police personnel were injured in the stone- pelting on Tuesday.

The police were also examining two audio clips, in which some persons are heard discussing a plan to attack a police station to 'take revenge' for the police action during the mob violence, the official added.

In one clip, a person was heard urging people including women from the community to gather outside the Nehru Nagar police station with chili powder.

"We picked up one person whose name came up in the clip. We found that someone from Ahmedabad had sent this clip to him," said senior police inspector Vilas Shinde.

The clips originated from Gujarat and Rajasthan, he added.

Pancharam Rithadiya, 44, allegedly committed suicide last week by jumping in front of a train near Tilak Nagar railway station here.

In the suicide note, he alleged that the police had failed to trace his 17-year-old daughter who was abducted by some persons some months ago. His daughter had allegedly eloped with one of the accused.

After his death, the Government Railway Police registered an offence of abetment of suicide against five persons.

During his funeral procession in suburban Chembur on Tuesday, some of the mourners hurled stones at police, Additional Commissioner of Police Lakhmi Gautam told PTI.

"Seven police personnel, including four officers, were injured in the attack," he said.

A police van, a taxi, a car, 10 to 12 motorcycles and three auto-rickshaws were damaged in the incident.

The police lodged an FIR late Tuesday night against nearly 200 people and arrested 33 of them, Gautam said.

The accused were booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 143, 145, 147 (rioting), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the Maharashtra Police Act.

Another police official said some mourners trailing the procession tried to block the road at Umarshi Bappa Chowk.

As the police tried to disperse them, some of them ran to a nearby under-construction building and hurled stones at the police, he said.

Some eye-witnesses claimed that people got angry when a policeman shoved a woman mourner with a stick.