Maharashtra Bandh latest updates: The Sion-Panvel highway which was blocked by protesters at the Kalamboli junction and Vashi has been cleared now, CNN News18 reported. “We only wanted to prove that we are together. We never wanted protests to get violent,” the Maratha groups told the press as they called off the state-wide bandh on Wednesday. The Mumbai coordinator of the Maratha Kranti Morcha will address a press conference in Dadar at 2 pm on Wednesday. Protesters have also blocked Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Kalamboli. Certain media reports claim that Central Railway has announced to shut services between Thane and Vashi, News18 reported. Thousands of Maratha Kranti Morcha workers have commenced their ‘grand march’ in Kalyan. The shops in Dadar, which were shut down around 11 am, will continue to remain closed. However, essential services have been resumed, CNN News18 reported. Nine BEST buses have been damaged in Kurla, Bhandup, Andheri, Sakinaka, Kandivali, Koparkhairane and Chandivali areas of Mumbai while Western Express Highway has also been blocked by protestors. Shops have been shut in Maharashtra’s Nashik district as well. Meanwhile, protesters gathered in Shalimar area and raised slogans near the Ambedkar statue in the presence of police personnel, according to a CNN New18 report. Agitated protests have crippled services in Maharashtra’s Akola as city’s main market, schools and colleges have been completely shut, CNN News18 reported. The Pune Railway PRO has informed that all trains are functioning as usual in the region, no delays are expected, ANI reported Meanwhile, even as the Maratha agitation for reservation has intensified in the state, the Backward Class Commission said that it would take at least four more months to give its report on the issue. “The backward class commission is a statutory body and hence we cannot give a time limit to them. But the member secretary informed us that it will take four months to present the report,” Principal Secretary of Social Justice Department, Dinesh Waghmare said. According to ANI, clashes have broken out between two groups in Udgir in Maharshtra’s Latur district when one group was forcibly trying to get people to shut shops and overturned a vegetable cart while attempting to enforce Maharashtra bandh. Police has reached the spot and the situation has been controlled. Maratha Kranti Morcha members block local trains in Thane. Roads have been blocked in Mumbai’s Kandivali East area. According to media reports, protesters are not allowing any vehicles to move. Jagannath Sonavne, a protester who attempted suicide by consuming poison on Tuesday in Aurangabad’s Deogaon Rangari, died in the hospital on Wednesday morning, ANI reported. Protesters attacked public buses in Mumbai’s Kanjurmarg and Bhandup areas and the neighbouring Thane and Navi Mumbai. In view of the stone-pelting, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport partially suspended its services in those areas and expects to resume it when the situation improves, an official of the transport body said. A bus was also attacked in Ghansoli area of Navi Mumbai. Some members of the Maratha Kranti Morcha have forcefully shut shops on Thane’s Gokhale Road. According to CNN News18, the police has arrested some protestors in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area. Municipal Transportation Committee has halted 67 AC buses as a precautionary measure. However, other buses are plying as usual, CNN News18 reported. Heavy police deployment is seen in various parts of Mumbai, but trains and BEST buses are plying as usual. However, BEST bus service has been suspended from Airoli to Vashi as protestors threw stones on two buses. Two Maratha outfits the Maratha Kranti Morcha and the Sakal Maratha Samaj have called for a Maharashra bandh on Wednesday which is going to affect Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Panvel regions. The shutdown is being observed since morning in various parts of the state but schools and colleges have been excluded from it. Large-scale violence marred a state-wide protest today by Maratha outfits demanding reservation for the community in Maharashtra, where a constable died and nine other policemen were injured amid suicide attempt by three agitators. Agitators clashed with the police and torched vehicles at several places, while Internet services were suspended in rural areas of Aurangabad district to prevent any untoward incident. In Jalna, the police fired in the air to scatter protesters. Quotas for Marathas, a politically influential community that constitutes around 30 per cent of the state’s population, has been a hugely contentious issue. Protesters on Tuesday threw stones on a Hyderabad-Latur bus in Nilanga tehsil in Latur. In Sangli, Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil said the government has done whatever was within its ambit and now it was up to the courts to take a call on the issue. Some “paid” people have infiltrated the stir, he said. Protester Jagannath Sonawane, 31, from Aurangabad, sought to emulate Shinde’s example by jumping onto a dry river bed, while another, Guddu Sonawane, also from the district, consumed poison.They have been admitted to a hospital, police said. In Thane, activist Mangesh Suryavanshi (38) jumped into a creek near the Ganesh Ghat, but was saved by police and others, Thane Police PRO Sukhada Narkar said. He received minor injuries and was admitted to a hospital. In Nanded, police cane-charged protesters to disperse them, an official said. At Kaygaon, Aurangabad, protesters shouted slogans hailing Shinde as a ‘martyr’, police said. Pune saw sporadic incidents of stone pelting. Some people threw stones at an administrative building in Baramati and a state transport bus was attacked, ASP Sandip Pakhale said. Maratha Kranti Morcha members took out a rally in Pune. The bandh received lukewarm response in Yavatmal and Amravati. In Yavatmal, the bandh call was given by the Maratha Mahasangh. In Amravati, activists paid homage to Shinde at Rajkamal Square. They later marched to the Kotwali Police Station and submitted a memorandum addressed to the CM. The bandh received a mixed response in Ahmednagar and Nashik districts. In Nashik district, activists staged a rasta roko on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation suspended its services to Aurangabad from Nashik, an official said. Protesters burnt tyres at Sakora in Nandgaon taluka of Nashik, affecting traffic, the Rural Police Control said. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil blamed CM Devendra Fadnavis for the stir taking a violent turn and demanded his resignation. Fadnavis had cancelled his visit to a temple in Pandharpur protesters threatened to disrupt the event. Despite assurances from Fadnavis, nothing concrete has been done till now, community leaders have claimed. “We will continue our agitation until the CM apologises to the Maratha community (for alleging that some members from the community were planning violence at Pandharpur),” Morcha coordinator Ravindra Patil said.
Maharashtra Bandh: Sion-Panvel highway cleared for traffic as Maratha groups call off shutdown
The Sion-Panvel highway which was blocked by protesters at the Kalamboli junction and Vashi has been cleared now.
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‘We are Marathas, we don’t hurt anyone’
Maratha Kranti Morcha leader Virendra Pawar said the bandh was successful and denied role in the instances of violence reported in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Sion-Panvel highway cleared for traffic
The Sion-Panvel highway which was blocked by protesters at the Kalamboli junction and Vashi has been cleared now, CNN News18 reported.
Recap: Three policemen got injured during violent protests in Navi Mumbai and Satara
Violence marred the Maratha community’s bandh on Wednesday as protesters threw stones at policemen in Navi Mumbai and Satara district, injuring three personnel. The police retaliated and cane-charged protesters, fired plastic bullets and lobbed tear gas shells at them, an official said. Satara’s Superintendent of Police Sandeep Patil sustained a minor injury while two policemen were injured at Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai.
Recap: Miscreants pelted stones and set a bus ablaze in Mankhurd
Angry protestors set a BEST bus on fire in Mumbai’s Mankhurd area. The fire was extinguished by fire tenders.
Recap: Heavy stone-pelting took place during the Maharashtra Bandh on the Sion-Panvel Highway
Earlier on Wednesday, protests had turned violent near the Sion-Panvel highway as protestors hurled stones and police had to resort to lathicharge.
Mumbaikars take a musical break in between the chaos
Earlier on Wednesday, some people took to the road and played music amid the traffic jam caused by the bandh.
Train services between Thane-Vashi/Nerul on the Trans-Harbour line interrupted
Deepak Kesarkar to take action on violence reported during the Maratha protests
As protests turn violent in Satara, Maharashtra’s minister of state for home (Rural) Deepak Kesarkar said he is looking into the matter as reports of untoward incidents are being reported from some parts of the state, CNN-News18 reported.
Maratha groups on instances of violence
“The areas that we had designated for protests have seen no instances of violence. The cases of violence that are being reported are from areas where we hadn’t organised protests,” Maratha Kranti Morcha said on Wednesday.
Maratha Kranti Morcha’s address to the press as they call off Wednesday’s bandh
Maratha groups call off bandh
“We only wanted to prove that we are together. We never wanted protests to get violent,” the groups told the press as they called off the state-wide bandh on Wednesday.
Police resorts to blank fire in Navi Mumbai
Tension has gripped Navi Mumbai as protests turn violent; police had to fire in the air to disperse the crowd, CNN-News18 reported. A BEST bus, with 15 passengers was also set ablaze by violent mob in Mankhurd. All the travellers have been reported to be safe.
Lawyer Satish Maneshinde to support Maratha Kranti Morcha in Court
Prominent lawyer Satish Maneshinde vowed to fight the Marathas’ cases pro bono, CNN-News18 reported. “As a supporter of their cause and a member of the Maratha Kranti Morcha, I will appear pro bono for every such Maratha before any court in Maharashtra,” Maneshinde said.
NCP’s Supriya Sule raises issue of maratha reservation Parliament, asks government to cooperate
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule raised the issue of Maratha reservation in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. She asked the government to support the protestors’ demands.
Protests turn violent in Karjat; police lathicharges agitators Kalamboli
Protests have turned violent in Ahmednagar’s Karjat area. Meanwhile, police lathicharged agitators in Kalamboli, News18 reported.
Protestors try to stop train in Navi Mumbai’s Ghansoli area
According to local media reports, scores of Maratha protesters forcibly got onto a train in Ghansoli and tried to halt it.
Maratha Kranti Morcha to hold a press briefing at 2 pm in Dadar
The Mumbai coordinator of the Maratha Kranti Morcha will address a press conference in Mumbai’s Dadar at 2 pm on Wednesday, according to News18.
Solapur district kept out of the bandh due to rush of Lord Vitthal temple devotees in Pandharpur
Solapur district was kept out of the Maharshtra Bandh due to the rush of devotees to Lord Vitthal temple in Pandharpur town
Agriculture Produce Market in Navi Mumbai remained shut as ‘Mathadi’ workers supported the bandh
The Agriculture Produce Market (APMC) at Turbhe in Navi Mumbai was also closed as a union of ‘mathadi’ workers supported the Maharshtra bandh . Commercial establishments remained shut in some areas of Ahmednagar city.
Stones pelted at trains passing through Thane and Ghansoli, situation now normal
Agitators also threw stones at trains passing through Thane and Ghansoli (located on the trans-harbour line in Navi Mumbai) stations and services were halted briefly. “There were isolated incidents at Thane and Ghansoli after 9.59 am. The situation normalised at 10.24 am,” CR’s chief PRO Sunil Udasi told PTI.
Trains stopped on Western and Central Railway but services resume
Contrary to their previous peaceful agitations, this time the protesters tried to stop local trains on the Central Railway (CR) and the Western Railway (WR) corridors. “A few protesters stopped trains on fast line at Jogeshwari at 9.16 am, however, they were removed from the track and train services resumed at 9.24 am, railway officials told PTI.
Shops shut in Mumbai; stones hurled, tyres burnt in Thane
In Mumbai’s Bandra, Matunga and Mulund, protesters marched on roads and were seen requesting shopkeepers with folded hands to close their establishments.
But in thane city, stones were hurled on two public transport buses in Wagle Estate area and agitators burnt tyres on the arterial Ghodbunder Road, PTI reported.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale speaks in favour of Maratha reservation
Mumbai-Pune Expressway blocked; trains between Thane and Vashi may be suspended
Protesters have also blocked Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Kalamboli. Certain media reports claim that Central Railway has announced to shut services between Thane and Vashi, News18 reported.
Autos carry the Maratha Morch flag in Borivali East
Video courtesy: Firstpost/Omkar Patne
Mumbai’s Mulund East road blocked by protestors
Video courtesy: Firstpost/Omkar Patne
Protests intensify in Mumbai’s Worli, agitators shave their heads
Maratha Kranti Morcha members start a grand march in Kalyan
Thousands of Maratha Kranti Morcha workers have commenced their ‘grand march’ in Kalyan, CNN News18 reported.
Maratha Kranti Morcha members have blocked the Eastern Expressway in Chembur
Shops in Dadar to remain closed; essential services to resume
The shops in Dadar, which were shut down around 11 am, will continue to remain closed. However, essential services have been resumed, CNN News18 reports.
Protestors in Sangli end ‘_Jal Samadh_i’ in Krishna river
Maratha agitators in Sangli have ended their ‘jal samadhi’ in the Krishna river, CNN News18 reported.
Nine BEST buses damaged in various areas of Mumbai; Western Express Highway blocked by protestors
Nine BEST buses have been damaged in Kurla, Bhandup, Andheri, Sakinaka, Kandivali, Koparkhairane and Chandivali areas of Mumbai while Western Express Highway has also been blocked by protestors, CNN News18 reports.
Protestor flaunts Balasaheb Thackeray’s tattoo during protest
A Shiv Sena protester shows her tattoo of Late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray while participating in the Maharashtra Bandh in Mumbai.
Image courtesy: CNN News18
Recap: Police constable had died during violent protests in Aurangabad on Tuesday
Sham Atgaonkar, a police constable from Osmanabad who was deployed on duty at Kaygaon, died soon after a commotion which followed after stone pelting, the police said. Another constable was injured in the stone pelting.
Recap: Political reactions come in as Maratha agitation turns violent in Maharashtra
The Shiv Sena had said that it supports the call for reservation for Maratha community and urged those “who promised reservation” to come out in support of the issue.
BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Sambhaji Chhatrapati said, “The issue of Maratha reservations is of utmost importance. The chief minister should not ignore it.”
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashok Chavan said, “The Fadnavis-led government is engaged in an attempt to paint the protesting Maratha community members as criminals and this attempt is infuriating.”
Recap: Maratha groups have been holding protests since last few days, had demanded CM’s resignation
In the last few days, protests have taken place in Buldhana, Akola, Parali and Washim areas of Maharashtra. The Maratha community leaders had earlier also taken out several rallies in various districts to highlight their demands.
Last year, a huge rally was organised by the Maratha Kranti Morcha in Mumbai. And the community leaders have claimed that despite assurances from the Fadnavis government to fulfil the demands, nothing concrete has been done till now. Various Maratha organisations had held massive ‘silent marches’ across the state in 2017 for various demands, including reservation.
Shortage of Ola, Uber cabs also being reported in Mumbai
According to several media reports, there is a shortage of Ola and Uber cabs on roads in Mumbai. In most localities residents are unable to book any cab due to non-availability. Those plying are charging 2x surge price.
Shops shut in Nashik, protestors raise slogan in Shalimar area
Shops have been shut in Maharashtra’s Nashik district as well. Meanwhile, protesters gathered in Shalimar area and raised slogans near the Ambedkar statue in the presence of police personnel, according to a CNN New18 report.
Protestors block traffic near Raigad district, traffic affected on Mumbai-Goa highway
Commuters travelling on Mumbai-Goa highway from Panvel are facing inconvenience as protesters have blocked traffic near Raigad district, according to CNN News18.
Akola city also affected by Maharashtra Bandh, even schools and colleges are shut
Agitated protests have crippled services in Maharashtra’s Akola as city’s main market, schools and colleges have been completely shut, CNN News18 reported.