Maratha quota bandh called off midway after violence

Mumbai: The day-long bandh in Mumbai, called by pro-quota Maratha groups, was called off midway on Wednesday after violence marred the protests even as one more protester died, a day after consuming poison.

Protesters attacked buses, indulged in arson and pelted stones at local trains in several parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai and the adjoining Thane city, during the bandh called by Maratha outfits to press their demand for reservation in jobs and education.

Three policemen, including a Superintendent of Police, suffered injuries in stone pelting.

The Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Goa highways were blocked for hours by the protesters.

Police used force, including teargas shelling and baton charge, to disperse the violent protesters at several places.

The agitation, organised in the form of a bandh in various places of Maharashtra since Monday, Wednesday reached Mumbai where shutdown was attempted to be imposed.

However, the bandh in the financial capital of India, which began on Wednesday morning, was called off just before 3 pm after various parts saw violence.

"We only wanted to prove that we are together and proved it. We never wanted protests to get violent, and therefore, we are calling off our bandh in Mumbai for today," Virendra Pawar, leader of the Morcha, told reporters here.

Another leader of the Morcha said a bandh might be called again on August 9, but a final call in this regard will be taken after consulting all senior members of all Maratha morchas.

Marathas, a politically-influential community constituting around 30 per cent of the state's population, have been demanding reservation in jobs and education.

The community members have earlier taken out several rallies in various districts to highlight their demands.

Last year, a massive rally was organised by the Maratha Kranti Morcha in this connection in Mumbai.

On Sunday last, a 27-year-old protester, Kakasaheb Shinde, jumped off a bridge over Godavari River in Aurangabad and died.

This led to an intensification of the agitation.

On Tuesday, a man, identified as Jagannath Sonawane, consumed a poisonous substance during the protest in Aurangabad. He died on Wednesday at a local government hospital. See P5