A Sangh shakha was attacked allegedly by some Muslim goondas at Deorukh in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra in the evening of August 20. The attackers beat up the teenage swayamsevaks participating in the shakha. The saffron flag was torn apart and photo of Chhatrapati Shivaji was also desecrated. A FIR was lodged by some local Sangh leaders against unknown assailants at Deorukh Police Station. No culprit was arrested by the time of writing this report. There is tremendous tension prevailing in Ratnagiri district. If police and administration ignores the gravity of the situation, there might be large-scale repercussions of the incidence throughout Konkan region. Since the last two months, Hindu-Muslim tension is prevailing in Dapoli area of the Ratnagiri district due to ownership claims made by Yakub Baba Dargah Trust of Kelshi on 650 acres of land traditionally inhabited by Hindus. State Minister Naseem Khan is reportedly adding fuel to tension by provoking local Muslims to forcefully occupy the land inhabited by Hindus. And this new incidence of attack on RSS shakha has worsened the situation. (FOC)
