ONE COMMUNAL VIOLENCE EVERY 20TH DAY IN MAHARASHTRA

Maharashtra has witnessed an average one communal violence in about every 20 days during the last five years, the state police data says. Replying to an RTI application, Maharashtra police said a total of 96 communal violences took place in the state during April 2004 to 2009. “A total of 525 cases have been registered in this regard of which investigations have been completed in 298 cases,” said Rashmi Shukla, first appellate authority, office of the Director General of Police. Applicant Ajay Marathe in the RTI query sought reports of frequent riots from different districts of state. “Reports of communal riots are heard more in the district of Thane. There were riots in Rabod area here and nine policemen were transferred,” Ajay Marathe claimed quoting from the RTI response.