NEW DELHI: Tension gripped Yavat village in Daund tehsil of Pune district on Friday afternoon after an allegedly objectionable WhatsApp post by a youth from another community sparked violence. An irate mob vandalised properties and set a motorcycle ablaze, prompting police to use teargas and resort to a lathi charge to disperse crowds. Officials confirm no injuries or casualties, and say the situation is now under control, reported PTI.Top developmentsWhat happened?Police said the objectionable post was allegedly related to a Hindu religious figure. The post went viral Friday afternoon, sparking anger in a village already tense due to a past incident involving the desecration of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.By evening, mobs gathered and vandalised a bakery, torched a motorcycle, and damaged other properties. Police responded with teargas and a lathi charge to disperse the crowd. No injuries or casualties have been reported so far.Who was behind the post?Police confirmed the youth who posted the content was not a permanent resident of Yavat. He had been staying with his grandmother for some time after moving from Nanded. The authorities are investigating his motive and whether there are any links to previous provocations in the area.A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered and the youth is currently in police custody.Section 144 and security deploymentIn view of the unrest, Section 144 has been imposed in Yavat village for 48 hours to prevent gatherings and maintain peace. Heavy police deployment, including teams from the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), has been put in place. Senior officers from Pune Rural police are stationed in the area, ANI reported.“We are appealing to all citizens not to believe in rumours. Strict action will be taken against those trying to disturb communal harmony,” said SP (Pune Rural) Pankaj Deshmukh.Political reactionsCM Devendra Fadnavis also issued a strong statement: “Some people are deliberately trying to disturb peace by posting offensive content. No one has the right to insult any religion or belief. We will not tolerate such acts and strict action will be taken.”Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said, “The government is closely monitoring the situation. Section 144 has been imposed and the police have acted promptly. I appeal to people to cooperate and maintain peace.”Previous tensionsPolice said the situation in Yavat had already been sensitive due to a recent speech by local representatives and past incidents involving insults to historical icons. The combination of old tensions and the latest post appears to have contributed to Friday’s unrest.Authorities continue to monitor the situation. Internet services have not been suspended yet, but officials say that may be considered if misinformation continues to spread.