Maratha quota protests: 46 MSRTC bus depots shut; transport body suffers losses to the tune of Rs 13.25 cr

MSRTC Bus. File Pic

At least 46 out of 250 bus depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) were completely shut due to protests over the reservation for the Maratha community, and it has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 13.25 crore in the last three days, an official said on Monday, reported the PTI.

According to the PTI, the bus operations in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Parbhani, Hingoli, Jalna, Nanded, and Dharashiv districts have been badly hit by the protests, a spokesperson of the MSRTC told PTI.

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As many as 20 buses were torched and 19 were damaged amid the protests over the last three days, he said.

The MSRTC has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 5.25 crore due to damages to the buses and has lost Rs 8 crore in ticket sales due to protests in various parts of the state, the official said.

The MSRTC is one of the biggest public transport bodies in the country, with more than 15,000 buses in its fleet. It ferries around 60 lakh passengers every day.

Meanwhile, under fire for lathi-charge on Maratha quota protesters in Jalna district, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the government regrets the use of force by police, according to the PTI.

He also said the lathi-charge order was not given by any top official to the Jana Police last week. "Such decisions (use of police force etc.) are taken at the local level," Fadnavis, who handles the Home Department, told reporters in Mumbai, reported the PTI.

Maharashtra government expresses regret for the use of force by police in Jalna district a few days back, he said.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had claimed that the lathi-charge order was given on a phone call made from the office of the chief minister and state home minister.

Senior NCP leader Anil Deshmukh has also claimed that police lathi-charged protesters in Jalna district after a phone call was made from the Maharashtra home ministry.

The former state home minister also demanded an enquiry by a retired judge to find out who called up the Jalna district superintendent of police and ordered him to lathi-charge the protesters.

Police baton charged and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob in Antarwali Sarathi village in Jalna district on Friday after protesters allegedly refused to let authorities shift a man on hunger strike for Maratha quota to hospital.

Several persons. including 40 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 state transport buses were set ablaze in violence.

(with PTI inputs)