Maratha quota agitation: 500 protestors face charges for protest on highway in Pune

Protestors burnt tyre on Pune-Bengaluru Expressway/ PTI

As many as 500 activists who participated in the Maratha quota agitation in Pune have been charged by the police for arson and obstructing traffic on the Pune-Bengaluru Expressway, officials told PTI on Wednesday.

According to the report, nearly 500 activists backing the Maratha reservation on Tuesday protested on the expressway near Navale bridge in Maharashtra's Pune between 12.15 pm and 2.45 pm on Tuesday. They burnt tires to emphasize their demand for Maratha reservations, as confirmed by the police, the report added.

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Reportedly, law enforcement has filed charges against 400 to 500 members of the Maratha Kranti Morcha and Sakal Maratha Morcha, encompassing a range of offences, including endangering the lives of others and causing fear among commuters.

The activists have been subjected to legal action under pertinent sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Maharashtra Police Act, and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, the police were quoted as saying in the PTI report.

Protests by the Maratha quota activists have intensified across Maharashtra, especially in the Marathwada region, since activist Manoj Jarange began indefinite fast against on October 25. He, on Wednesday, has said that he will stop drinking water as well if the state government does not give Marathas reservation. In Beed district, people resorted to violence and arson and set on fire home and office of an Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) leader on fire. The widespread violence led to imposition of curfew and suspension of internet services.

Since the protest took violent turn in Beed, curfew was enforced in periphery of 5 kilometres from the collector office, head offices of talukas along with all national highways passing through the district. The administration, however, on Wednesday lifted curfew imposed however said that prohibitory orders shall continue and internet services are still shut.

Meanwhile, curfew in Dharashiv (erstwhile Osmanabad) has not been relaxed. The police, according to a report in PTI, have registered over 30 offences and have arrested 99 persons in Beed. Prohibitory orders were also imposed in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (previously Aurangabad) to maintain law and order. Additionally, Nanded collector Abhijeet Raut has also imposed prohibitory orders on national highways and other roads.

With inputs from PTI