17 held for attacking police station in Jalna

Police fired three rounds in air to disperse the unruly mob which stormed Ambad police station here and attacked the members of rival gang kept in the lock-up.

According to police, two groups clashed with each other on Friday following which they arrested some of the members and placed them behind bars at the police station.

However, rival gang members on Saturday morning caught hold of one Sakhram Parase and thrashed him. As Parase ran to save his life to the police station the hoodlums followed him there, police said. Meanwhile, Parase`s supporters too gathered outside the police station armed with swords and lathis and clashed with their rivals. The mob then forced their entry in the police station and started attacking the members of rival group kept in the cell.

Police said around 40 persons armed with lathis, swords and rods beaten up the members of the rival gang inside the lock up and even tried to set on fire an accused and the police station, following which police fired three round in air. Assistant police inspector Janardhan Kakde and few constables were present at the police station at the time of the scuffle.

The injured persons were admitted in the district civil hospital and some of them who are reported to be serious have been rushed to Government Medical College and Hospital in Aurangabad.

Police have arrested 17 persons on the charges of rioting and arson and additional police force has been deployed in the village. Senior officials including SP Sanjay Mohite, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sandipan Kambe are monitoring the situation.