Marathas call off Mumbai bandh after stir turns violent

TIL Desk/National/Mumbai/ The bandh in Maharashtra called by pro-quota Maratha groups was on Wednesday marked by violence and arson even as one more protester died, a day after consuming poison. In the wake of violence, the bandh in Mumbai was called off midway, despite which some areas continued to witness incidents like stone pelting till Wednesday evening.

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

The Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Goa highways were blocked for hours by the protesters. Three policemen, including a Superintendent of Police, suffered injuries in stone pelting. Police used force, including teargas shelling and baton charge, to disperse the violent protesters at several places. A number of places saw pitched battles between the police and stone-pelters for hours.