Tension arose on Saturday in the Durgadi Fort area of Kalyan in Maharashtra when activists of both Shiv Sena groups (Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde Gut) tried to reach the Goddess Durga temple on the top of the hill, while Eid-ul-Azha was being offered in the foothills of the hill at that time.
Police detained several protesters for violating prohibition.
The Shiv Sena workers led by Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (Ubatha) and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reached the foothills of different forts in the morning and started protesting, demanding to go to the temple.
A senior police official said that the two groups gathered at Shivaji Chowk and started raising slogans demanding “Durgadi Fort”.
In view of the possibility of demonstrations, the police deployed sufficient number of police forces at the Red Chowki and Durgadi Fort and also put inhibitors on the roads.
The police officer said that the Shiv Sainiks of both the groups climbed on the block and tried to move towards the fort.
He said, “Several attempts were made to break the siege of the police. Shiv Sainiks tried to remove the inhibitor, but our personnel strongly opposed it and maintained the system.”
When the agitators were forbidden to go to the fort, they performed aarti at the Red Outpost.
“When the situation deteriorated and the public system was in danger, we detained several protesters of both factions to violate the prohibition under Section 144,” the official said.
He said that the fort has been sealed and alternative routes have been provided for movement of vehicles from Saturday morning.
The dispute between Hindus and Muslims has been going on for years over offering Namaz in the fort.
The legal battle over the mosque and Idgah inside the fort has also continued since 1976. The Majlis-e-Mushwarin Masjid Trust filed a case in the case. A Hindu temple is also located in this fort.