Adul: A furious mob attacked the ‘Kulswamini Kala Kendra’ located on the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar–Beed National Highway in the Thapti Tanda area of Paithan tehsil around 11 pm on Saturday. Ten to 12 four-wheelers parked within the premises were vandalised, and three to four persons were injured in stone-pelting.
According to information received, a youth from Rajapur who was walking along the road was allegedly assaulted over a trivial reason by inebriated individuals from the Kala Kendra, a folk art centre. During the altercation, one of the drunken men reportedly fired a shot in the air from a firearm, triggering panic. As news of the incident spread in the village, an angry mob of nearly 300 people stormed the Kala Kendra.
The mob ransacked the premises, damaging furniture, chairs, CCTV cameras, tables and electrical equipment. After breaking open the main iron gate, they entered the premises and smashed the windows of vehicles belonging to visitors who had come to watch the dance performances, causing losses worth lakhs of rupees.
Dancers lock themselves inside rooms
As stone-pelting began suddenly, chaos erupted inside the centre. Visitors from outside towns fled the scene, while some were allegedly beaten with wooden sticks by the mob. Sensing the gravity of the situation, the dancers immediately stopped the programme and locked themselves inside a room.
Villagers’ strong opposition;
police rush to spot
Villagers from nearly 20 villages in the Adul area have submitted representations up to the Mantralaya demanding that the alleged unauthorised Kala Kendra be permanently shut down. There is talk that the outburst occurred due to inaction despite repeated complaints.
On receiving information, Pachod police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Tension prevailed in the area, and the process of registering an offence at Pachod police station was underway till late at night.