The State government has refuted allegations that it demolished any residential premises inside the Vishalgadh in Kolhapur premises early this month. Also, five FIRs have been filed against over 1,00 persons, including Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje, Ravindra Padwal and Banda Salunkhe, who were leading the protest and were marching towards the fort despite such permission refused by the police. It said that due to heavy rains, fog and low visibility on July 14, some miscreants managed to escape the police checkpoints and enter the first premises.
The State filed two affidavits before the Bombay High Court on Monday pursuant to earlier orders while hearing an application by some residents alleging that the authorities demolished several residential premises despite prohibitory orders. The application also alleged inaction by police to control mobs which allegedly ransacked their houses.
The affidavit filed by PI with the Shahuwadi Police Station Vijay Baba Gherade said the police had filed five FIRs against over 1,500 miscreants, including Chhatrapati Sambhaj Raje, Ravindra Padwal and Banda Salunkhe, who were leading different groups and marching towards the fort. Around 24 persons have been arrested so far. Padwal is absconding and attempts are made to search for him and the other accused, the affidavit stated.
Emphasising that the police took all the necessary steps to prevent untoward incidents, the affidavit claimed that checkpoints were set up at different places to stop groups of people from marching towards the fort. The police had refused permission for such marches, but it had information that certain groups of persons were still planning to march towards the fort.
“There were heavy rains on July 14 as a result of which fog was formed. There was low visibility and it was difficult for the authority to take appropriate action. Still under this precarious condition, these authorities were doing their best to prevent the unwanted law and order situation,” the affidavit read. It justified not damages to certain properties adding, “.. on account of heavy rains, fog and low visibility, somehow few people managed to enter Gajapur village and caused destruction of some properties.”
Further, the same day was being celebrated as the 'Shaurya Divas' of Veer Bajiprabhu Deshpande, for which people visit Pawankhind, a site near Vishalgad, to pay tributes. Several persons had gathered for the same and miscreants took advantage of it. “The Authorities were confused whether to allow them to go to Pawankhind or not since, they were not aware that whether who wanted to go to Vishalgad and who wanted to go to Pawankhind,” the affidavit added.
In the riots and the stone pelting, at least 18 police officials (1 Additional Superintendent of Police, 1 Deputy Superintendent of Police, 2 Police Inspectors, 2 Assistant Police Inspectors and 12 Constables) were injured and two of them were grievously injured.
It further added that the photographs and videos submitted of properties damaged, were not situated inside the Vishalgad premises, but were of Gajapur village which is situated approximately 3.5 km away from the fort.
Advocate General Birendra Saraf informed a bench of Justices BP Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla that authorities did not demolish any residential structures at the villages around Vishalgad Fort, as alleged by the petitioners.
The affidavit by deputy director of Directorate ol Archaeology Hemant Dalvi clarified that the authorities have demolished the commercial structures, which are not protected by any order, it added.
The court has asked petitioners’ advocate Satish Talekar to file an affidavit providing details if any residential structures were demolished, so that the State can respond to it.
