One nabbed for conspiracy

SANGLI: The Sangli police on Friday arrested Imran Hassan Nadaf, a resident of Miraj, on charges of conspiracy and inciting riots at Miraj on September 2, the eve of Ganapati immersion procession.
Confirming Nadaf's arrest on Friday evening, superintendent Krishna Prakash told TOI, "Nadaf faces charges of inciting violence and attempting to desecrate a religious idol." Nadaf (30), who resides near the Nadaf mosque at Miraj, was picked up from Kolhapur by a police team on Thursday.
An arch erected to welcome processions, depicted the death of Moghul army general Afzal Khan by warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji. This triggered clashes between two communities on September 2 and the violence soon spread to neighbouring areas of Sangli and Ichalkaranji. Gauging the seriousness of the situation, the administration decided to clamp a curfew at Sangli, Miraj and Ichalkaranji.
The administration temporarily relaxed the curfew in Miraj on Thursday to facilitate the completion of the Ganapati immersion procession that was held up for a week due to the violence. Over 50,000 people participated in the procession that concluded late on Thursday night. No untoward incidents were reported.
In Miraj, the curfew was relaxed from 7 am to 7 pm and from 10 am to 7 pm at Sangli on Friday. The two towns remained incident-free during this period.
Sangli district collector Shyam Wardhane said, "It is encouraging to see that no untoward incidents were reported when the curfew was lifted. People are cooperating with the measures being taken by the administration." However, a decision on lifting the curfew from the two towns will only be taken on Saturday, he added.
Earlier, representatives of at least 40 political and social organisations from Sangli had called on Wardhane with a plea to lift the curfew in Sangli and Miraj. They cited the smooth conduct of the Ganesh immersion procession at Miraj in support of their plea.
Political parties, in particular, are at their wits' end considering that they have to effect several plans ahead of the October 13 assembly elections.
"Lifting the curfew completely largely depends on the way police assess the situation. If things continue to remain incident-free, we may lift the curfew on Saturday," Wardhane said.
At Ichalkaranji, curfew was lifted for 90 minutes from 10 am to 11.30 am on Friday. Officials from the Kolhapur district and police administration were busy reviewing the situation here late on Friday evening. The curfew is expected to continue till Saturday afternoon.