Protests lead to shutdown in Vasai, Virar

Shiv Sena MLA Vivek Pandit ended his indefinite hunger strike on Friday, claiming chief minister Ashok Chavan had intervened in the matter and promised a solution within eight days.

Pandit had been protesting against the induction of 53 villages into the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC). However, on Friday morning, protests turned violent and a bandh called for when Pandit was admitted to Thane Civil Hospital. “Since the last four days, we had been conducting the protest peacefully. Then the police came and forcibly took me to hospital,” Pandit said.

According to Thane SP (rural police), Madhukar Pandey, a local doctor who examined Pandit on Friday morning suggested he be admitted to hospital as he was diabetic. At the hospital, Pandit refused to get checked by doctors.

He said, “The police picked me up like a criminal and beat up my wife Vidyulata, daughter Sneha and my supporters for trying to stop them.”

Meanwhile, Pandit in the presence of the collector Abasaheb Jarhad ended his hunger strike on Friday evening. Speaking from Kolhapur, Chavan said the government would resolve the matter within eight to 10 days. After Pandit was admitted to hospital, the law and order situation deteriorated in the Vasai-Virar belt.

Angry activists threw stones and tried to set private and police vehicles on fire in Wagholi. They also stopped traffic at several places on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway. Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed across Vasai and Virar; a bandh was called and lasted till late evening.