Maratha Kranti Morcha protest: Four ST buses torched in Chakan

Protestors walk past a bus set on fire at Chakan

The protests by Marathas seeking reservation don't show any signs of ending. On Monday, despite members of the Maratha Kranti Morcha appealing to people to hold a non-violent bandh, Pune city, Solapur, Aurangabad, Sangli and other parts of the state saw violence. Violence erupted in Chakan, the industrial town in Khed taluka, where more than 150 vehicles including four ST buses were damaged and torched.

Police used mild lathi charge to bring the situation under control in Chakan. They also used tear gas but the violence continued and forced them to impose Section 144 of IPC (prohibiting assembly).

Deputy superintendent of police Ganpat Madgulkar, sub-inspector Arjun Pawar and some other policemen, in all seven, were injured. Dy SP Ram Pathare's car was set on fire.

In Pune, there was a protest near the statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Deccan, and a march at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial in Shivajinagar. The Hinjewadi IT Park roads were blocked and a rasta roko was held at Shivaji Chowk. A similar situation prevailed in Chinchwad. Many young people held a rasta roko on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway. The Pune-Nashik National Highway was also blocked.

Protestors had called for a dharna aandolan at Solapur's Shivaji Chowk where stones were pelted and the car of Deputy Superintendent of Police Pournima Chowgule was damaged. Police have arrested some protestors.

In Aurangabad, a youth, Pramod Patil, 31, wrote 'another Maratha dies' on Facebook and committed suicide. Some members of the Kranti Morcha have said Marathas will hold mass agitations on August Kranti Diwas, August 8, if chief minister Devendra Fadnavis does not give in to their demands.

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