Clash between rival party workers in Thane’s Bhiwandi town; 2 cops among 6 injured

Six people, including two police personnel, were injured in a clash between workers of two rival parties in Bhiwandi town in Thane district of Maharashtra, officials said on Monday (January 19, 2026).

Activists of Konark Vikas Aghadi (KVA), a local political group, allegedly pelted stones and looted the Bharatiya Janata Party office during the violence late on Sunday night (January 18, 2026), forcing the police to resort to assault to restore order.

Violence broke out between KVA and BJP activists at Shivaji Chowk, apparently triggered by tensions following the recently concluded Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation elections.

Videos circulating on social media show people throwing stones and police intervening to disperse the crowd.

Local BJP MLA Mahesh Chowgule said, “This was a deadly attack (on BJP activists in the party office) by our rivals. They even tried to raid my house but failed.”

It was stated that some people used violence against police personnel during the incident.

However, KVA officer Vilas Patil denied the allegations, claiming that those who initiated the violence were BJP activists and the victims were KVA members.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-II) Shashikant Borate said that six people, including a constable, a constable and four political workers (two each from the rival side), were injured and were receiving treatment at a local hospital.

He said the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the rioters.

The situation was under control now. An official from the Thane city police control room said that heavy security measures have been taken in the area to prevent further escalation of tension.

Nizampura police are in the process of registering a case in the incident, officials said.

In the elections held on January 15 for the 90-member Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation, the Congress bagged 30 seats, the BJP bagged 22 seats, and the KVA managed to bag only 4 seats.

While Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) got 12 seats each, Samajwadi Party got 6, Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi (Ekta Manch) got 3 and an independent party got 1 seat.