Nashik: Curfew has been clamped in eight villages of Igatpuri and Trimbakeshwar tehsils in the wake of group clashes and incidents of stone pelting following alleged rape attempt of a minor girl by a teenager here.
Curfew was imposed last night as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in Vilholi, Sanjegaon, Shevagedang, Anjenary, Talegaon, Mahirawani, Talwade and Gonde villages and will remain in force till tomorrow, a police official of rural control room said today.
Group clashes had broken out across these villages in both the tehsils on Tuesday evening leaving 13 people injured, one of them severely.
Incidents of stone pelting in localities like Satpur, Pathardi Phata, Lekha Nagar and Rane Nagar under city police, kept cops on their toes.
However, the situation in Nashik city was stated to be well under control, police said.
Mobile internet services will continue to remain suspended till tomorrow to prevent spread of rumours.
The state transport bus services between Nashik and Mumbai which were suspended since Sunday on account of arson and stoning incidents, resumed today.
Police have arrested 25 people in connection with the incidents of violence across the district.
Protests had erupted in adjoining villages and spread to Nashik after a 16-year-old boy allegedly tried to rape a five-year-old girl at Talegaon village near Trimbakeshwar.
The boy, who has been taken into custody, was booked under relevant sections of the IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
On October 9, ‘rasta roko’ agitations were staged by angry residents in Wadivhare, Ghoti and Anjaneri-phata villages on Mumbai-Agra national highway.
Police had lobbed teargas shells and also fired some rounds in the air at Talegaon to disperse the mob which had hurled stones at state transport buses and also torched vehicles of police on the highway, resulting into suspension of bus services between Mumbai and Nashik.
Incidents of stone pelting and arson were also reported in Jail Road area of city where a mob damaged a number of two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles parked along the road.
Top police officials, including Commissioner of Police Ravindra Singhal, are closely monitoring the situation.
Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and State Woman Commission Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar visited the civil hospital here and met the relatives of the girl.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has given an assurance that the case would be tried in a fast-track court.