Special IGP initiates negotiations between two communities to resolve stalemate over statue in Solapur village

Kolhapur: The stalemate over fixing the ownership of the land in Anjangaon village of Solapur tehsil, where a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was installed, continued on Friday as well. Special inspector general of police Sunil Fulari reached Mohol, a town near the village, on Friday evening and began negotiations between the two communities.A clash had broken out between the two communities on Wednesday evening over a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj installed near a temple. One community insisted that the land on which the statue had been installed belongs to state public work department and therefore it should not be removed. The other community claimed that the land belongs to a temple trust, leading to the clash between the two communities. Late Thursday night, the two communities had come to an agreement that a land survey should be conducted to check the ownership of the land."On Thursday night, both communities from the village had arrived at a solution. However, some leaders who are not from the village are trying to disrupt the talks and peace," said Madha MLA Abhijeet Patil.Patil was referring to Laxman Hake, a leader of the Dhangar community, who has reached the village. Ex-MLA Rajan Patil, who is now with the BJP and tried to mediate between the two communities, also leveled the allegations. Hake, however, denied the allegations and countered saying that the row was MLA Patil's doing.Considering the tension in the village, the police have placed barricades along the main road passing through the village. No one is allowed near to the temple and the statue. Friday was death anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Some residents of the village were demanding that they be allowed to garland the statue, but police did it on their behalf.