Furious Marathas 'manhandle' Shiv Sena MP, pelt stones at his car

Chandrakant Khaire

Chandrakant Khaire, member of parliament from the Shiv Sena, was allegedly manhandled, and stones were pelted at his car by a furious crowd on Tuesday morning, in a village in Aurangabad.

On Monday, Kakasaheb Shinde, 28, a driver from Gangapur village in Aurangabad, allegedly killed himself by jumping into the Godavari river during a protest by the Maratha Kranti Morcha. Preparations were on for Shinde's funeral when a furious mob pushed and allegedly manhandled Khaire who had gone to meet the family. The violence later spread all over Maharashtra.

Another protestor, 31-year-old Jagannath Sonawane from Aurangabad district, sought to emulate Shinde by jumping into a dry river bed. He has been admitted to a government hospital in Aurangabad, police said.

Ravindra Patil, coordinator of Maratha Kranti Morcha, demanded that Shinde be declared a martyr, and that his family get Rs 50 lakh as compensation. He also said that local authorities should lodge an FIR against the chief minister and he should resign for failing to provide reservation to Marathas.

The Maratha Kranti Morcha had called for a Maharashtra bandh after Shinde's death. But appeals were made by its leaders to members, asking them not to obstruct buses of Warkaris returning from Pandharpur. Politicians and the Morcha coordinators had also appealed to the protesters to remain silent and not resort to violence.

However, the protest turned violent. A group of agitators blocked the Goa-Mumbai Highway as well as National Highway 4 near Khalapur, Raigad. Members of the Morcha also got shops to close in Nandurbar.
Inputs from agencies

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