A dispute over an Instagram story led to a brutal assault on a young man in Pimpalgaon Baswant town, leaving him seriously injured. The incident, which occurred on Saturday evening, has sparked outrage in the community, culminating in a silent march demanding justice.
According to police sources, Aryan Ravi Bigania, a resident of Pimpalgaon Baswant, posted a story on Instagram to mark Shaurya Day. The story caught the attention of the accused, Mizan Shah, who took a screenshot and shared it with Aryan's brother-in-law, Ganesh Jadhav, with a remark accusing Aryan of promoting casteism. Ganesh forwarded Mizan’s message to Aryan, escalating tensions.
The confrontation took place near Swami Samarth Mandir and the gate of Pimpalgaon Girls' Vidyalaya School around 4 PM. When Aryan questioned Mizan about the screenshot and allegations of casteism, a heated argument ensued. The situation turned violent as Mizan, accompanied by 4-5 others, attacked Aryan with wooden sticks. Aryan suffered severe injuries to his head, nose, and face and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
The incident triggered widespread outrage in the town. On Sunday morning, a silent march was organized, starting from Niphad Fata Main Road and passing through major areas before reaching the Pimpalgaon police station. Over 3,000 citizens, including Nashik MLA Devyani Pharande, participated in the march, demanding strict action against the accused.
A statement was submitted to Nashik Rural Additional Superintendent of Police Aditya Mirkhelkar, urging immediate action. DySP Harish Khedkar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Vasudev Desale, and police inspectors from Pimpalgaon Baswant, Ozar, Niphad, Saikheda, and Vani stations were present during the protest.
The police have arrested Mizan Shah and are pursuing the other accused involved in the attack. Shops in Pimpalgaon Baswant remained shut until 1 PM on Sunday as a mark of protest. The community continues to demand justice and stringent punishment for the culprits to prevent such incidents in the future.