Challenging the curfew orders in the riot-hit areas of Kalyan, the Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Hindu Manch have announced a silent morcha to the Bazarpeth police station on Friday to demand the arrest of Nationalist Congress Party corporator Iqbal Shaikh.
Residents of the Rohidaswada area in old Kalyan, where four were killed in Tuesday's rioting, allege that Mr Shaikh instigated the riots to settle political scores. Until Thursday night, 61 persons had been arrested and over 200 cases of rioting registered but the police refused to identify those arrested.
Sena leaders alleged that antisocial elements belonging to the minority community went on a rampage, burning several houses belonging to members of the cobbler community on Tuesday night in a pre-planned attack.
In what was apparently a retaliatory move, rioting resumed around 11.15 p.m. on Wednesday and continued till 4.30 a.m. on Thursday. Shops, garages, a bakery, some vehicles and small establishments belonging to the minority community were torched. Petrol bombs were also reportedly hurled at the house of former Sena corporator from Rohidaspada, Ramesh Walunj, but the police refused to confirm this. Mr Ramesh Walunk's cousin, Ashok, was killed in Tuesday's violence.
"This happened in the Kala Talao and Adharwadi area here the police presence was minimal since the administration had concentrated the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the State Reserve Police (SRP) in the Bazarpeth area only," observers said.
Later on Thursday, the police picked up two youths belonging to the minority who had arrived on a bike in Rohidaswada with swords and choppers tucked in their shirts. The youths apparently tried to mingle among government workers who were distributing food material in the troubled area.
Minister of state for home Kripashankar Singh told TNN that the police strength had been increased to 1,800 men. "Now we have four SRP companies and two of the RAF," he said.
Sena MP from Thane, Prakash Paranjpe
alleged that the government was not handling the situation seriously.