Clash between rival party workers in Thane's Bhiwandi town; 2 cops among 6 injured

Six persons, including 2 constabulary personnel, were injured during a clash betwixt workers of 2 rival parties successful Bhiwandi municipality of Maharashtra's Thane district, officials said connected Monday (January 19, 2026).

Activists of the Konark Vikas Aghadi (KVA), a section governmental outfit, allegedly hurled stones and ransacked the Bharatiya Janata Party bureau during the unit precocious connected Sunday (January 18, 2026) night, forcing constabulary to edifice to a lathicharge to reconstruct order, they said.

Violence broke retired astatine Shivaji Chowk betwixt KVA and BJP activists, seemingly triggered by tensions pursuing the precocious concluded Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation elections.

Videos circulating connected societal media showed radical throwing stones and constabulary intervening to disperse the crowd.

"It was a murderous onslaught (on BJP activists astatine the enactment office) by our rivals. They adjacent attempted to raid my residence unsuccessfully," section BJP MLA Mahesh Chowgule alleged.

Some radical manhandled constabulary unit during the incident, helium charged.

KVA functionary Vilas Patil, however, dismissed the allegations, asserting it was BJP activists who initiated the unit and that KVA members were the victims.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-II) Shashikant Borate said six individuals, including a constabulary officer, a constable, and 4 governmental workers (two each from rival sides), sustained injuries and were undergoing attraction astatine a section hospital.

Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the rioters, helium said.

The concern was presently nether control. Heavy information was deployed successful the country to forestall further escalation, an authoritative from the Thane metropolis constabulary power country said.

The Nizampura constabulary were successful the process of registering a lawsuit successful transportation with the incident, officials said.

In the January 15 elections to the 90-member Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation, the Congress secured 30 seats, the BJP 22, portion the KVA managed to get lone 4 seats.

The Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) bagged 12 seats each, Samajwadi Party 6, Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi (Ekta Manch) 3, portion an autarkic got 1 seat.