Maratha stir: Mobile internet suspended to keep Navi Mumbai calm

NAVI MUMBAI: With the worst violence during the Maratha agitation on Wednesday erupting in Koparkhairane here in the evening and the area remaining tense even on Thursday, mobile internet and messaging services were cut, most likely for the first time, in the satellite city. The services, curtailed on the instructions of the Navi Mumbai police commissioner, would be restored as soon as the situation stabilises in Koparkhairane and Kalamboli, another area that saw violence on Wednesday, said the police. “Mobile internet has been shut down for two days till July 27 as a preventive measure. There was a possibility of miscreants posting provocative messages on WhatsApp groups that could again incite trouble,” said DCP (Crime) Tushar Doshi. The police also said 50 agitators have been arrested for fomenting trouble in Koparkhairane and Kalamboli on Wednesday. They have been booked for unlawful assembly, rioting, arson, damaging and torching vehicles and assaulting policemen. Koparkhairane was tense even on Thursday and witnessed a near shutdown. “On Thursday morning, when shops along the road from D’Mart till Teen Taaki (the worst affected stretch) had opened for business, a posse of policemen came and told us that we could keep our shops open at our own risk. The cops claimed that there was a possibility of the agitators returning to damage the shops. Hence, the retailers’ association decided to down shutters for another day,” said a gift shop owner near Koparkhairane’s D’Mart junction. The police have begun assessing videos of violence in Koparkhairane. “If it’s found that the violence was pre-planned, those arrested will be interrogated to find out about the conspirators. As of now, we have arrested nine only for rioting and burning police vehicles and injuring cops at the D’Mart junction. There are many accused who will be identified and gradually arrested,” said DCP (Zone-1) Rajesh Bansode. A request to suspend mobile internet was made immediately after the violence erupted in Koparkhairane last evening, but the staff could do it only on Thursday morning when their offices reopened, said the police. Broadband services were allowed as it would be easy to locate any person posting incendiary messages through the internet protocol address. “Many youths among the mob that turned violent in the evening were carrying backpacks. Hence, it is suspected the miscreants had planned the arson as they had brought the stones and petrol bottles in their backpacks,” said a trader. Source: Times of India