AIMIM Corporator Booked for Mob Attack on Trombay Police Station

Shahnawaz Khan allegedly instructed the mob to fetch stones, flammable weapons to torch the Trombay police station.

The police station was attacked after a person was arrested for ‘hurting religious sentiments’ through a Facebook post. (Photo: ANI/Altered by The Quint)

On Monday, police arrested seven persons in connection with an attack on a police station in Trombay, Maharashtra on Sunday. 17 persons were arrested right after the incident.

A mob of nearly 200 youths was triggered after the police arrested a person for “hurting religious sentiments” through a Facebook post.

According to Times of India, Arvind Chinva, a local resident, allegedly posted a morphed image on Facebook that was disrespectful to a Muslim place of worship.

The mob wanted the police to hand him over to them. In a fit of rage, the mob attacked the police station and torched some of their vehicles.

According to the Mumbai Mirror, All India Majlise-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) corporator Shahnawaz Khan was also arrested. Khan was also booked for rioting in two cases in 2014.

Khan was the one who allegedly instructed the mob to attack the Trombay police station by fetching stones and flammable weapons like petrol bombs and kerosene.

Since the police had already taken action against the person who published the Facebook post, they were caught off-guard by the mob and violence.

The mob was instigated by the corporator and they had planned to attack the police station if we did not hand over the accused to them. When we refused their demand the first time, they went back. But we learnt later that another section of the mob was waiting at a spot near the police station, preparing to attack.

Annasaheb Sonur, Senior Inspector, Trombay Police Station

The police admitted their failure in reading the pulse of the crowd.

What happened was very unfortunate. It was a failure on our part as we never expected the attack. If we would have known, there would have been better coordination on our part.

The Mumbai Mirror also stated that due to the presence of installations like BARC and the Naval armament depot, the Trombay area has been a high security zone and a sensitive area.

The people accused were produced before a court, which sent them to police custody till 24 March.

(With Inputs from PTI)