Assam violence protests: Security beefed up in Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 12 (ANI): Security has been strengthened in Mumbai on Sunday after the protests organised by Muslim organisations in wake of the recent ethnicclashes in Myanmar and Assam turned violent, claiming two lives and injuring 55 others. Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavanhas strongly condemned the Assam violence protests at Azad Maidan, and ordered a crime branch probe into the violence that took place in the city claiming two lives and injuring 55 others. Chavan, who was talking to mediapersons here on Saturday, also mentionedthat among those injuredare 45 police personnel. "In the firing, till now two persons are dead and around 55 are injured out of which 45 are police personnel. The injured are being treated at different hospitals in the city. Why the people who had gathered there turned violent will be probed," said Chavan. "The investigations are being handed over to theCrime Branch of Mumbai Police. They have started their work," he added. Chavan, however, refusedto blame the police of any mismanagement for the violence and said thatthe guardians of law did their job well. "I don't think it is correct to say that the police presence there was inadequate or anything like that. There was ample police force there. The rally got over peacefully and then suddenly someone did the mischief, which resulted in the violence. We are probing that incident," he added. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had earlier asked people to maintaincalm following the violent protest in Mumbai. "I will talk to the Maharashtra Chief Minister," he said. Around 45 policemen were injured in the violence that erupted after a rally organised by city-based Raza Academy on Saturday at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai turned unruly, with the mob damaging buses, hurling stones and setting vehicles on fire. The rally was being held to denounce riots in Assam and also the alleged attacks on a minority community in Myanmar.