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One killed, 3 injured in clashes at Koregaon Bhima battle anniversary in Pune

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Jan 02, 2018, 08:58 AM IST
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File photo. Photograph:(ANI)

A person was killed and three others were injured in stone pelting as clashes took place between villagers from Maharashtra's Koregaon Bhima, Pabal and Shikrapur while celebrating the 200th anniversary of the victory of British troops over Peshwa Bajirao II's army in Koregaon Bhima on Monday.

The deceased, 28-year-old Rahul, was taken to Sassoon General Hospital for a post-mortem.

Around 25 vehicles, including a police van, were torched and over 50 vehicles were also damaged during the clash. 

Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) companies, summoned on Monday, were stationed at Shikrapur to prevent any further trouble.

Incidents of stone-pelting and vandalism occurred at Bhima Koregaon in Shiroor tehsil Monday afternoon when people were heading for the war memorial in the village, police said.

“Stone-pelting started after the argument. During the violence, some vehicles and a house in the vicinity were damaged,” a police officer deployed for security at Bhima Koregaon said without elaborating.

 He said the police stopped traffic on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway for some time following the incident. 

The situation in the village is under control now, he said. "More police personnel, including companies of the State Reserve Police Force, have been deployed," the officer said.

He said mobile phone networks were also blocked for some time to stop the circulation of inflammatory messages.

According to the police, more than five lakh people, mainly from the Dalit community, had assembled in Pune this year for the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle.