Six cops held for theft during Dhule riots

DHULE: Six policemen were arrested on Friday on charges of theft and breaking open a stall during the Dhule riots of January 6. While two of the policemen are constables, the other four are jawans from the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF). Inspector Sanjay Patil of the Dhule city police station told TOI that the SRPF jawans have been identified as Liladhar Sonawane, Ganesh Patil, Chabulal Vende and D S Sonawane and the police constables as Jawahar Pawar and Yogesh Shinde. "The six policemen have been arrested based on the inspection of video footage in which they are seen breaking open a stall and pulling down a pandal used by hawkers," he said. Director general of police (law and order) Javed Ahmed confirmed the arrests. "Six policemen have been arrested today by the local police," he told TOI. The six policemen, who were arrested under sections 380 (theft) and 461 (dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property) of the Indian Penal Code, were produced in a local court late on Friday afternoon, Patil said. The court remanded them in police custody for a day. The police are also looking for four local residents, who were seen in video footage allegedly looting a shop and damaging motorcycles and bicycles parked outside houses in the curfew-bound areas of the town. "Three of them have been identified," Patil said. Six people were allegedly killed in police firing and more than 200 others were injured in the violence that broke out at 2.30pm. The violence, which continued for about two hours, was allegedly triggered after a small dispute broke out over the non-payment of a food bill at a food stall in the Macchi Bazaar area of the town. The food-stall owner allegedly assaulted a youth who refused to pay the bill. The youth left the place but returned with some his friends, following which violence broke out. A majority of the victims and relatives of those allegedly killed in the firing accused the police of being brutal and using excessive force. The government has announced a judicial probe headed by a retired judge. Source: TOI