Gelatin sticks used to trigger blast in Beed mosque; 2 held

A moderate-intensity explosion, triggered using gelatin sticks, damaged the interior of a mosque in Beed district’s Ardha Masla village in Georai tehsil at around 2:30am on Sunday. The police have arrested two suspects and detained two others in the incident.

The arrested accused Vijay Rama Gavhane (22) and Shriram Ashok Sagade (24) are both residents of Ardha Masla village. The accused are involved in the well-digging business that often involves controlled blast methods using gelatin sticks. Police suspect the duo used the explosives originally procured for their work.

Mecca Mosque, located near Sayyad Badshah Dargah, had recently undergone restoration work. While no one was injured, the explosion caused cracks in the mosque’s flooring and structure, said police.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking in Nagpur where he attended a series of programmes in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said, “The information has been received about the blast as well as those responsible.”

A team of Beed police, along with bomb detection and forensic experts, rushed to the site after the incident. Special inspector general of police of the Sambhajinagar division, Virendra Mishra, visited the location, while superintendent of police Navneet Kanwat was stationed here.

“We received a call from the village sarpanch about the blast. Our teams reached the spot within 20 minutes, and by 6 am, both the accused were detained and subsequently arrested,” said Kanwat over the phone.

A case has been filed at Talwada police station under sections 298, 299, 196, 326(g), 351(2), 351(3), 352, 61(2), 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.

“Forensic teams have collected samples, and further investigation is underway. The motive behind the explosion remains under scrutiny,” said Kanwat.

According to a senior police officer, the incident followed a heated argument during Sayyad Badshah’s Urus celebration on Saturday evening, where people from all communities participated in a sandal (procession). The accused, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, engaged in a dispute and threatened to demolish the mosque. That night, they camped in a field before entering the mosque premises around 2 am and setting off the explosion. Witnesses identified them as they fled the scene, leading to their arrest.

Rahesd Ali Hussain Sayyad (69), the complainant and a resident of Ardha Masla, recounted hearing the explosion: “When we rushed there, we found the sitting arrangements, ceiling fans, doors, windows, books, flooring, and walls damaged. Sayyad Usman (another resident) saw Gavhane and Sagade fleeing the spot.”

Gavhane, who lives next to the mosque, was previously a driver and has a police record for carrying illegal weapons.

Sayyad Shammu, mosque caretaker, confirmed that the duo had issued threats a day earlier.

Following the incident, members of the Muslim community staged a protest at Talwada police station demanding strict punishment against perpetrators. Shops in the village remained closed in protest, coinciding with Gudi Padwa celebrations. However, community leaders urged locals to reopen the shops.

Maulana Sayyad Shammu of Mecca Mosque called for calm. “The police have arrested two suspects and assured us that others involved will be caught within two days. Our village has always maintained harmony, and such acts by anti-social elements will not be tolerated. We must not panic,” he said.

Local MLAs Sandeep Kshirsagar and Vijaysingh Pandit visited the village to assess the situation. Pandit urged residents to remain peaceful. “This is a time of festivities. Let the police complete their investigation,” he said.

Ardha Masla, located about 35 km from Beed district headquarters, has a population of 2,237 (as per 2011 census). Many villagers are engaged in agriculture and well digging, which often involves controlled blasting with gelatin sticks under the Jawahar Wells scheme.