Maratha quota stir: Sporadic violence keeps Mumbai on edge as protest intensifies – 10 updates
The ongoing Maratha quota agitation brought Mumbai to its knees with cases of sporadic violence being reported from parts of the financial capital of India on Wednesday.
While the morning was smooth with trains running normally and very less traffic on the roads, the quota agitation later turned violent in some parts of the Maximum City.
As the day progresses, reports started trickling in about violence in areas of North and East Mumbai.
Here are 10 major updates of fourth such protest Mumbai has seen this year:
1: In North Mumbai’s Mahavir Nagar area, protesters went around asking shopkeepers to pull the shutters down which they promptly did. Except chemists, they forced everyone, even dairy farms and banks in the vicinity to close the close down. Locals saw bike borne protesters with Maratha Kranti Morcha flags asking people to stay indoors.
2: According to Mumbai traffic police, areas such as Jogeshwari, Dahisar, Shyam Talao, Majas Wadi, Durga Nagar, Anand Nagar check Naka, JVLR, Kanjurmarg, Shreyas Cinema and Panjarapole faced some traffic issues due to brief agitation. However, traffic is smooth in South Mumbai.
3: Navi Mumbai was worst affected with protesters setting ablaze a bus in Mankhurd. In Mhape’s Millennium Business Park, men belonging to Maratha Kranti Morcha entered one of the office building and asked the staff to stop the work. An eyewitness said that all office doors have been closed down.
4: There was an incident of stone-pelting on Mumbai-Pune expressway near Kalamboli. Police has to fire in the air to disperse the crowd.
5: At some places, protesters raised slogans against Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Public Works Department Minister Chandrakant Patil for allegedly insulting sentiments of the Maratha community, official said. The Agriculture Produce Market (APMC) at Turbhe in Navi Mumbai was also closed as a union of 'mathadi' workers (who carry loads on their head) supported the bandh.
6: Outside Mumbai, situation remained tense in Aurangabad, which has been the epicenter of the latest wave of agitation. One Jagannath Sonawane, who had consumed a poisonous substance yesterday, during the protest, died today at a local government hospital.
7: In western Maharashtra, Satara SP Sandeep Patil sustained injuries when mob pelted stones at police. Police had to fire tear gas to disperse the mob.
8: Some pro-reservation activists led a 'jal samadhi' protest in the Krishna river in Sangli district to press for their demands. Commercial establishments remained shut in some areas of Ahmednagar city.
9: The Maratha Kranti Morcha, which is spearheading the agitation for reservation in jobs and education, has called for the shutdown in Mumbai and some neighbouring districts. Another outfit, the Sakal Maratha Samaj, called for the bandh in Navi Mumbai and Panvel areas.
10: They have exempted schools, hospitals, medical and other essential services, including vegetables and fuel supply, from the bandh. No school buses was attacked or stopped in any area. Ambulance services were also running normal, a senior official of the public health department said.
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