At least 15 Arrested, 500 Booked After Communal Violence In Pune's Yavat Over WhatsApp Post

At least 15 people have been arrested and FIRs registered against more than 500 individuals following communal violence in Yavat village, located in Pune’s Daund tehsil, after an allegedly objectionable WhatsApp status sparked unrest on Friday.

According to officials, tensions escalated rapidly after a local youth shared a post on the messaging platform that several villagers found offensive. The individual who uploaded the post has also been arrested, police confirmed.

The incident led to violent protests, with an angry mob taking to the streets, setting vehicles on fire and vandalising public and private property. Among the damaged properties were a motorcycle, two cars, a bakery, and a religious structure, police said.

Yavat police were forced to lob tear gas shells and carry out lathi charges to bring the situation under control. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed in the area to prevent further flare-ups.

Senior Inspector Narayan Deshmukh of Yavat police station said, “So far, 15 people have been arrested and remanded in police custody till August 6. We have filed five cases related to the violence.”

Four of these FIRs pertain to acts of arson and vandalism, and name more than 500 individuals, of whom over 100 have been identified based on CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts, police said.

Speaking to the media, Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Sandeep Singh Gill noted that a preliminary investigation does not indicate a pre-planned conspiracy, but added that a full inquiry is still underway.

“The person whose post triggered the unrest is a long-time resident of the village. We are investigating the incident from all angles, but at this stage, no definitive conclusion can be drawn,” Gill stated.

Local authorities have appealed for calm and warned residents against circulating unverified information on social media, which could further inflame tensions.

The situation in Yavat remained tense but under control as of Saturday evening, with additional police personnel deployed in the area to ensure peace.

- With inputs from PTI.