Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday claimed that the protest at Badlapur in Thane district over the alleged sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls was politically motivated and aimed at maligning the state government.
Several BJP leaders including its Bengal minder Kailash Vijayvargiya suffered injuries, sources in the saffron party claimed.
A youth was shot dead and another critically wounded, when police opened fire to disperse a stone-pelting mob in the Nowhatta locality of Srinagar, even as a complete shutdown was observed on Saturday against the Amarnath land transfer agreement.
The former CM of the state also lashed out at the state government saying the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party ruling alliance was a failure.
More than 20 persons have so far been arrested in connection with the incident which took place in Malvani area of Malad on March 30.
'It was inspired by the Hamas attack and was like their attack -- well planned and well executed.'
Violent clashes were witnessed at two places in Kashmir on Friday, with stone-pelting mobs attacking security personnel who retaliated by lobbing teargas shells, officials said.
Earlier in the day protesters defied curfew in Udhampur in Jammu region, hit by violence over the Amarnath land row, even as life in Kashmir valley remained paralysed for third consecutive day following a strike call given by a separatist group.
It may be recalled that seven persons were killed and seven others injured in the police firing while several policemen were injured in stone-pelting, including a constable who suffered an injury in his left eye and lost vision.
According to officials, inflammatory speeches were made during a protest against derogatory remarks made against Prophet Mohammad by now-suspended Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
Nagpur Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said social media was used to vitiate the atmosphere, and appealed to the opposition not to politicise the matter.
The deaths occured when police opened fire at a stone-pelting mob during a demolition drive to remove flood waters.
Strict restrictions have been imposed in Kupwara town, Kralgund, Handwara, Magam and Langate areas in north Kashmir to maintain law and order.
The Centre has estimated that nearly 14,000 people have gathered along the Punjab-Haryana border with 1,200 tractor-trolleys, 300 cars, 10 mini-buses as well as small vehicles and conveyed its strong objections to the Punjab government for it, sources said on Tuesday.
Police had to fire dozens of tear smoke shells in an attempt to disperse the stone-pelting students from S P College and the adjoining Women's College on M A Road, officials said.
The accused person has been absconding and search is underway to trace him, police said.
The stone-pelting by the agitated youths occurred several times during the day but each time their attempt to block the movement of traffic was thwarted by the police.
The phones were seized from the prisoners, who included those held on charges of militancy and stone-pelting, just three days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that Pakistan is using social media to fuel unrest in Kashmir.
Protestors demanding the demolition of an illegal structure in a mosque in Shimla's Sanjauli area were lathi-charged by security forces on Wednesday after they broke police barricades during a demonstration.
The modified version of pellet guns will have a "deflector", an attachment on the muzzle end to prevent the pellets from going up.
A mob hurled stones at shops during the bandh (shutdown) allegedly organised by local Bharatiya Janata Party workers in protest against the rallies organised by Muslim organisations the day before to condemn the recent violence in Tripura, police said.
Prohibitory orders were imposed in a part of Neemuch city in Madhya Pradesh after a dispute between two groups over the installation of an idol near a dargah, which led to tension in the area, officials said.
Police said situation is under control in the border district of Jammu and Kashmir.
A youth was killed and three others injured as security forces opened fire in Kupwara district of Kashmir to disperse protesters who were pelting stones on an army camp.
Curfew was imposed in the frontier Rajouri town of Jammu region and the army staged a flag march following clashes on Tuesday.
Police are probing various angles, including the assailants coming from neighbouring Kerala.
According to Bhagwat, a narrative is being spread in neighbouring Bangladesh, which recently witnessed a massive political upheaval, that India is a threat and they should join Pakistan as a defence against Bharat. Who is spreading such a narrative, he asked.
Independent MLA candidate Naresh Meena was arrested on Thursday following high drama and escalating violence in which a mob assaulted a PTI reporter and video cameraperson and burnt their camera.
Sayar Ahmad Sheikh was hit by a tear smoke shell while Yawar Bhat, died in security forces' action after protesters indulged in stone pelting.
The situation along the Mizoram-Assam border has been on the boil since June-end when Assam Police allegedly took control over an area known as 'Aitlang hnar' about 5 km from Vairengte, accusing the neighbouring state of encroaching on its territory.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Border Security Force (BSF), central agencies, and the BJP of fanning tension in Murshidabad by allegedly facilitating cross-border influx from Bangladesh. She also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to keep the Union Home Ministry under control. Banerjee has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of three people killed during the violence and directed the state chief secretary to initiate a probe into the role of the BSF.
The officer was awarded by Army chief General Bipin Rawat during his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
The curfew was imposed and the administration issued shoot-at-sight orders after stone-pelting incidents, torching of vehicles and a mob surrounded the local police station following the anti-encroachment drive.
Protests against the killing of four people in firing by Border Security Force personnel erupted across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday during which 40 people including 19 security personnel were injured in clashes, stone-pelting and cane-charge.
Four Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces on Monday in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.
Congress workers too lodged a complaint with the police that some of their members suffered injuries during the clash.
A 23-year old youth was allegedly killed in security force firing during post Friday prayer clashes in north Kashmir Bandipore district. Farhat Ahmad Dar received bullet injury during the clashes and was evacuated to hospital for treatment where he succumbed.
An official said the Prayagraj Development Authority is trying to identify the homes of the 37 people and action 'according to the law' will be taken if their building plans have not been approved.
Congress workers ransacked a car transporting an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) to a strong room in Nagpur after polling concluded for the Maharashtra assembly elections, police said.
Scores of people, some armed with sticks, walked in the funeral cortege of a youth killed during a Durga idol immersion procession in Bahraich amid cries for justice from the family and others on Monday, as tension escalated with shops being burnt down and angry crowds out in the streets.
