One Dead, Several Injured in Communal Violence in Maharashtra's Akola Over Instagram Post

Mumbai: On May 13, in the otherwise peaceful city of Akola, in north-central Maharashtra, violence broke out between the Hindu and Muslim communities following an objectionable Instagram post against the prophet. The violence, which lasted for a few hours, late Saturday, resulted in the death of a passer-by and injuries to many others. At least two policemen, who were on duty, were injured in the incident. The police have since arrested over 28 youngsters, mostly belonging to the Muslim community. The district administration has imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) – which prohibits the assembly of four or more people in an area – in the old city region of Akola. Internet services, too, have been disconnected for 48 hours since Sunday morning (May 14). It all began with an Instagram post by one Karan Sahu, a leader of the radical right-wing group in Akola ‘Chhatrapati Sena’. Sahu, who has a massive following on all social media platforms, uploaded a post on Instagram deriding the Muslim community and the prophet. The post had in no time garnered thousands of likes and his followers had soon begun sharing it on their handles too. By late evening, the
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