Pune police book several BJP workers for alleged stone-pelting at Congress Bhavan

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 16 (ANI): Pune City Police registered a case against nearly 50 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, including city president Dhiraj Ghate and BJYM Pune chief Dushyant Mohol, for alleged stone-pelting and vandalism at Congress Bhavan in the city.
According to police on Saturday, an FIR was registered at Shivajinagar Police Station based on a complaint filed by Prachi Nitin Dudhane, a 42-year-old homemaker and resident of Karve Nagar.
The complainant alleged, "On February 15, between 12.30 pm and 2 pm, a group led by Pune city office-bearers of the Bharatiya Janata Party gathered at Congress Bhavan, raised slogans, pelted stones, injured three workers of the Congress party and damaged vehicles."
Police added that the accused named in the complaint include Pune city BJP president Dhiraj Ghate, youth president Dushyant Mohol, and 50-60 other workers. No arrests have been made so far.
The case has been registered under BNS Section 118(1), 189(2), 189(3), 324(4), 191(2), and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Police Act. Senior police officers visited the spot, and electronic evidence has been collected. Further investigation is underway.
A stone-pelting incident was reported near Congress Bhavan, the Pune headquarters of the Congress party, on Sunday afternoon after workers of the BJP and Congress came face to face during a protest over a remark made by Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan.
The incident occurred after an FIR was registered against Sapkal in Pune for his comment allegedly comparing Tipu Sultan to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. BJP Pune city president Dhiraj Ghate filed a police complaint stating that the Congress leader's statement hurt the sentiments of those who revere the Maratha king. Sapkal made the remark while talking about the controversy over a Tipu Sultan portrait displayed in the Malegaon deputy mayor's office.
BJP workers, led by local leaders, protested outside Congress Bhavan against Sapkal's statement, while several Congress workers gathered in support of their state president. Multiple police teams were deployed at the site.
As the situation escalated, stone-pelting was reported around 1 pm. Some people were injured, and some vehicles were also damaged in the incident. (ANI)