Tensions prevailed in the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra on Friday evening after several shops, houses, and vehicles were damaged by outraged people over an allegedly offensive “religious post” that went viral on social media. Some on social media users claimed the post in question was related to Prophet Muhammad.
According to local Marathi reports, several cars, two-wheelers, commercial establishments and houses in Umarkhed of Yavatmal were attacked and pelted with stones by miscreants over a post that was doing the rounds on the internet. In addition to this, the miscreants also tried to burn down houses and shops as fire tenders were rushed to the spot to control the conflagration.
A social media user claimed stone pelters even attacked a nearby police station in the area and there was an attempt to murder as well.
*** BIG BREAKING ***
— Maha Vinash Aghadi ᴾᵃʳᵒᵈʸ (@MVAGovt) December 18, 2021
Multiple houses, vehicles & shops stone pelted and burned down yesterday night in M dominated of Umarkhed city, Yavatmal; after a post allegedly against Profit went viral.
Local police station also stone pelted and there was an attempt to murder as well.
. https://t.co/77DWzU8DL0 pic.twitter.com/8pLumZUSlC
YouTube users claim unrest triggered over an allegedly derogatory social media post on Prophet Muhammad
While the local reports did not explicitly mention the cause of the flare-up, it has been alleged that the unrest and vandalism took place after a social media post on Prophet Muhammad had gone viral. It was confirmed by social media users who asserted that the unrest took place over a post that slighted the Muslim religious leader.
Several vernacular media organisations, including RNN News, ABP Majha, Zee News Marathi, TV 9 Marathi, reported about vandalism witnessed in Yavatmal. As per the YouTube comments section of the RNN News report, the unrest took place over an allegedly defamatory post on Prophet Muhammad. The comments from some YouTube users also included calls for “Sar Tan se Juda” stating that they would not tolerate any derogatory comment against Prophet Muhammad.
