Police teams head towards Pune to arrest Ravindra Padwal for Vishalgad arson

Kolhapur: Police teams have left for Pune to arrest Hindu Bandhav Samiti leader Ravindra Padwal for provoking a mob of youths gathered at the foothills of Vishalgad fort to indulge in arson.

Padwal and his supporters have been booked for vandalism and dacoity. Police officials said that the accused would be dealt with strictly.

Activists of the Hindu Bhandhav Samiti and Sevavrat Pratishthan vandalized at Panhalgad and at the foothills even before former MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, along with followers, could reach there. The police had appealed not to agitate as section 144 was clamped and a gathering was not allowed. Padwal ignored the appeal and instructed his activists to gather at the fort.

Kolhapur-based Banda Salokhe earlier circulated a video clip on social media and appealed to his activists to gather at the fort. Some video clips show that he was provoking the gathering to vandalise. They have been booked for provoking riots. Others who damaged houses have also been charged with dacoity.

Gathered on the pretext of an expedition

Hundreds of youths from Pune, Satara and Sangli districts reached Panhala-Pavankhind for a two-day expedition. They started gathering on Sunday morning (July 14). The police found it tough to control such a huge gathering.

Padwal switched off phone, ran away

Eight police teams fanned out to arrest suspects. Some teams were on Padwal’s trail to Pune. However, he switched off his mobile phone, said senior police officials. Banda Salokhe and his supporters will also be arrested, they said.