Six Maharashtra cops held for looting in Dhule riots

Mumbai, Feb 8 (IANS) Six Maharashtra Police personnel and four civilians were arrested Friday for looting and vandalism during the Jan 6 communal riots in the state’s Dhule town which left five dead and scores injured, a police official said.

“Four State Reserve Police Force personnel and two Maharashtra Police officials have been arrested, besides four civilians, for their involvement in the riots,” a police official told IANS.

They have been charged with vandalizing property, looting, among other things during the riots in which around 110 police personnel and over a hundred civilians were injured.

During the rioting which erupted over a minor issue of paying a bill in an eatery, five people were killed in police firing.

In view of the tense situation, curfew continued in stages for more than two weeks in different areas under the Azad Nagar Police Station jurisdiction besides prohibitory orders and strict security clamped elsewhere in the north Maharashtra town, around 350 km from Mumbai.

IANS 2013-02-08 23:42:02