An enquiry has been prompted into a video that allegedly shows police personnel walking with rioters during violence in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district.

The nine-minute video that has gone viral on social media shows cops walking with rioters who were setting ablaze cars and property in Aurangabad on Friday, May 11. The video also shows rioters damaging parked vehicles in front of the police, then setting ablaze four vehicles. A 65-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were killed in the clash.

“We have asked people (who have the video recording) to deposit the footage to the police. We will check its authenticity and appropriate action will be taken if we find their (policemen’s) involvement,” state Additional Director General (Law and Order) Bipin Bihari told PTI, as reported by NDTV.

They refused to divulge further information without thoroughly scrutinising the video. Internet was suspended in the city to stop the video from circulating further. “The issue is very serious, and we are probing it. I can promise that no guilty policeman or rioter will be spared,” acting police chief of Aurangabad Milind Bharambe said, reported The Times of India.

“We will examine each and every video pertaining to this case and action will be taken accordingly. As of now there is peace in the city and our probe in the case is going on,” he said. Necessary action has been taken as arrests are already made and charges are underway.

The situation in the riot-hit city in the Marathwada region, about 350 km from Mumbai, was later brought under control, but certain restrictions were imposed, like the suspension of internet services and the enforcement of prohibitory orders under the CrPC section 144, banning assembly of people, the police said.

The clash

The clash between two groups started in Moti Karanja. According to police, there was already tension in the area after police started a drive over illegal water connections. It turned communal when an illegal water connection at a place of worship in the area was removed.

It then subsequently spread to different places. The police hurled tear gas and also fired in the air to control the situation. More than 60 people, including police personnel, were injured in the violence. About 100 shops were set on fire and 40 vehicles were destroyed. The 65-year-old died in his house when the adjacent shop was set ablaze.

This is not the first time police were seen supporting a mob. Earlier, during Mitmita violence that occurred when residents of the area protested against dumping of garbage in their area, policemen were caught on CCTV hurling stones at houses.