Maratha quota protests: Maharashtra ADG Sanjay Saxena assesses situation in Beed

File Photo/PTI

Maharashtra's Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Sanjay Saxena, has visited Beed district to assess the aftermath of violence during the Maratha quota agitation, according to an official.

As of now, 99 persons have been apprehended in connection with the unrest in Beed, and the situation is currently deemed under control, the official confirmed.

Senior IPS officer Saxena arrived in Beed on Tuesday and has been actively evaluating the situation. He is set to compile and submit a comprehensive report to the government, addressing the situation, as per the official.

The Beed police has registered more than 30 offences and arrested 99 people so far in connection with the violence, he said. Curfew was imposed and Internet services were suspended in central Maharashtra's Beed district after the violence on Monday.

The residence of Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar group) MLA Prakash Solanke at Majalgaon town in Beed was set on fire and stones were hurled at it by a group of quota agitators on Monday morning.

The group also set ablaze a car parked at the residence after an audio clip of the MLA, in which he purportedly spoke about the Maratha quota agitation and made a veiled comment on quota activist Manoj Jarange who is on an indefinite fast, went viral.

Later, the protesters set ablaze the first floor of the Majalgaon Municipal Council building.

Another group of protesters barged into the residential premises and office of NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar in Beed city and set them on fire on Monday evening.

Also read: Pro-quota supporters vandalise offices, public transport vehicles across state

The residence of former Maharashtra minister Jaydutt Kshirsagar in the city was also torched.

Police fired tear gas shells to disperse a mob that had gathered outside the residence of NCP leader Amarsingh Pandit.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has called an all-party meeting on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the state amid the intensified Maratha quota agitation which took a violent turn in some parts of the state, but Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray has not been invited for the meet.

An official in the Chief Minister's Office said Shinde will apprise opposition leaders of the government's plans to handle the situation and seek their support.

Incidents of violence were witnessed in many parts of the state in the last few days.

State-run bus services have been completely suspended in five Marathwada districts while curfew and Internet shut-down have been imposed in parts of Beed where the houses of political leaders were targeted by protesters.

The CM has appealed to people not to resort to violence and also asked political parties to avoid indulging in any activities that would worsen the situation.