Riots play spoilsport in Vidarbha townships

Innocuous cricket and badminton games now seem enough to spark communal riots in simmering mofussil towns of Maharashtra. A curfew was impos...

Innocuous cricket and badminton games now seem enough to spark communal riots in simmering mofussil towns of Maharashtra. A curfew was imposed and State Reserve Police deployed after a cricket game in Akot and badminton game in Risod, both in the Vidarbha region, snowballed into communal tension on Thursday.

The tournament in Akot was part of a sports festival organised by the Jai Ambe Krida Prasarak Mandal headed by Minister of State for Home Manikaro Thakre. One man was stabbed and six injured in Akot, Akola district.

Fifteen people were injured and 38 arrested. After the game, tension started building at Risod’s Chandni Chowk area, ending in stone-throwing. Around 10 pm, shops were set afire in Khokaline area and two trucks near the police station.

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In Akot, a trader was stabbed during the game. He is in hospital. The tournament was organised by Sanjay Bodkhe, son of minister and local MLA Ramdas Bodkhe. ‘‘It was part of Vidarbha sports festival organised by Thakre’s organisation,’’ said a Bodkhe aide. Sources said Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had asked Bodkhe to rush to the area since it was his constituency but the minister was planning to bring the injured person to Mumbai. ‘‘We have made arrangements for his treatment at J.J. Hosopital,’’ the minister’s aide said.

Thakre is likely to rush to the area tomorrow. Both of them were not available for comments. Thakre, considered to be close to the CM, is from Vidarbha.