Violent clashes erupted between a mob and police in Maharashtra’s Maratha quota protest, resulting in injuries to police personnel and others. The situation is now under control, and the police have filed a case against more than 360 individuals, with 16 identified as having participated in the violence. The clash occurred when police attempted to move hunger strike leader Manoj Jarange to a hospital as per doctors’ advice.
The protest initially commenced as a peaceful hunger strike by Jarange and his supporters in demand of reservation for the Maratha community. However, tensions escalated when the police intervened to relocate Jarange, prompting some individuals to target state transport buses and private vehicles. While villagers claimed that the police fired rounds in the air, officials have not confirmed these reports.
Approximately 40 police personnel and several others were injured in the violence, and at least 15 state transport buses and several private vehicles were set ablaze by the protesters. A case has been registered against 16 identified agitators under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including attempt to murder and assault.
Despite the clashes, the protesters remain firm in their demand for reservation and have questioned the police’s use of force. They vow to continue their agitation until the government addresses their demands. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra has appealed for peace and announced the formation of a committee to investigate the violence.
Prominent Maratha leader and descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Chhatrapati, visited the protest site and voiced his support for the quota demand. He called for the government to withdraw the cases against the protesters and questioned the delay in fulfilling their reservation demand.
In response to the violence, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar is scheduled to visit the protest site, where he will express solidarity with the agitators. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has temporarily suspended bus services on selected routes in the division following the torching of several buses.
Overall, the situation remains tense as the protest for Maratha reservation intensifies, with demands for government action and allegations of police misconduct. With the clashes subsiding, the focus now shifts to the government’s response and the resolution of the Maratha community’s demands for reservation.
