Aurangabad riots: Two corporators among 50 held

Mumbai: Around 50 persons, including two corporators of the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation, have been arrested in connection with last week's violence in Aurangabad that claimed two lives and left over 60 people injured, a senior official said on Wednesday.

The two corporators - Rajendra Janjal of Shiv Sena and Feroz Khan of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) - were arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Aurangabad police yesterday, the official said.

"So far, police have arrested around 50 persons in connection with the riots," Rahul

Shrirame, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Aurangabad, said.

Janjal was arrested from his residence in Shivaji Nagar area on charges of setting vehicles on fire during the violence, he said.

"A video had gone viral on Saturday, which purportedly showed Janjal being part of the mob that was torching vehicles and damaging public property in Raja Bazaar area," the official said.

The Shiv Sena corporator was produced before a local court yesterday, which remanded him in police custody till May 18.

An offence under sections 143 (member of an unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc) of IPC has been registered against Janjal at Jinsi police station, another official said.