Bhima Koregaon Violence: Mumbai police denies permission to Sambhaji Bhide's lecture

The Mumbai police have denied permission for pro-Hindutva leader and Shri Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan chief Sambhaji Bhide's scheduled program at Lalbaug in central Mumbai, an official said.

Bhide, an octogenarian, is facing allegations of instigating the violence against celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle earlier this week.

Citing apprehension of law and order issues, police denied permission for Bhide's lecture on history of forts in Mumbai which was scheduled for Sunday, a senior police official told PTI today.

Pimpri police in Pune district have filed a case against Bhide and others under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and for `attempt to murder' under the IPC in connection with the violence on January 1 in which one person was killed.

Some Dalit organisation had written to the Director General of Police and Mumbai Police Commissioner, opposing permission for Bhide's lecture and seeking a ban on his entry into the city.

However, speaking to reporters here, a functionary of Bhide's organisation claimed that the organisation itself decided to cancel the program after police officials met them and expressed apprehension of law and order problem.