Maharashtra Bandh: Two FIRs registered, 200 detained in Mumbai; 11 buses damaged says BEST

Mumbai: As many as two FIRs were registered at the Kandivali police station and Samta Nagar police station in Maharashtra’s Mumbai against 14 persons who were taken into custody for spreading violence on Monday during the Maharashtra Bandh which was called against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. According to the Mumbai Police, more than 200 persons were detained during the Maharashtra Bandh on Monday. “Two FIRs were registered at Kandivali police station and Samta Nagar PS against 14 persons who were taken into custody; more than 200 persons were detained,” PRO, Mumbai Police on Maharashtra Bandh. Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) claimed that 11 BEST buses were damaged by protestors till 5 pm during the bandh in the state against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. As buses of the BEST- the transport undertaking of the city civic body and many of the traditional ‘‘black-yellow cabs’’ remained off roads, there were huge crowds on suburban railway stations to commute by local trains, which were running as per schedule. “Three non-cognizable offence registered at Dharavi, Mankhurd, Shivaji Nagar police stations against unknown persons for damaging buses,” BEST PRO further informed.

 Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) called for a Maharashtra bandh on Monday in protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that claimed the lives of eight people including four farmers.

According to Mumbai Police, security has been deployed at strategic points, with 3 companies of SRPF, 500 Home Guards, and 700 men from Local Arms units. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has opposed the ‘Maharashtra Bandh’ announced by the MVA. Earlier on 6 October, the Maharashtra state cabinet passed a resolution to express its condolences over the unfortunate death of farmers in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in Uttar Pradesh. Cabinet ministers also observed two minutes of silence and paid tributes to the deceased farmers. Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil had tabled the resolution which was seconded by Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat and Industry Minister and Senior Shiv Sena leaders Subhash Desai. The MVA is a coalition of NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena. All three parties and their allied partners will participate in the bandh, noted Patil. Bus services were affected in Mumbai and neighbouring areas on Monday and most of the shops and commercial establishments remained closed in the wake of the bandh called across Maharashtra by three partners in the MVA government. The Metro rail services were also operating normally in the city. Officials of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) said their buses from Mumbai to other places were plying as per schedule and no untoward incident was reported anywhere. “Regional offices across the state have been informed to operate bus services in consultation with the district administration concerned and police after taking stock of the local situation,” an MSRTC official said. There was heavy police deployment across the state capital in the wake of the bandh. Police personnel, including women, were on patrolling duty in every area of the city and no untoward incident was reported till now, a police official said. There was extra traffic police deployment on the city roads, where people were mostly seen travelling in private vehicles. Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut last week said his party will participate with full force in the Monday bandh in Maharashtra. He said it was necessary to wake people up against the “anti-farmer” policies of the Central government. Eight people, including four farmers, died in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. The farmers died after being knocked down by vehicles reportedly carrying BJP workers, after which an angry mob allegedly lynched some people in these vehicles. On Saturday night, Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra was arrested by the police in Lakhimpur Kheri in connection with the October 3 violence. NCP spokesman and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Monday said the MVA demands that Union minister Ajay Misha be sacked. With inputs from agencies