Clashes broke out between Bhim Sainiks and Hindutva activists in some districts of Maharashtra during the bandh called by Dalit parties on Wednesday to protest against the violence during the bicentenary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle on Monday.
In some districts of western Maharashtra, especially Kolhapur, Hindutva activists took out marches to counter the demonstrations of the Bhim Sainiks.
Despite strong police presence and prohibitory orders, the district saw clashes between Dalit and Hindutva activists in a number of places.
Police sources said more than 50 vehicles, including four-wheelers, were badly damaged, and some were burnt in Kolhapur’s Shahupuri, Siddharthnagar and Rajarampuri areas by the warring groups.
There were incidents of pelting of stones on the police by demonstrators in the city’s Mahadwar Road area, following which riot control measures were imposed.
“A Deputy Superintendent of Police and five policemen were injured in pelting of stones across Kolhapur city,” said a senior police officer.
Demonstrations in Pune
In Pune city, despite prohibitory orders, a number of Bhim Sainiks staged a demonstration outside the house of a Hindutva leader in the Shivajinagar area.
Milind Ekbote (60), who heads the fringe rightwing outfit ‘Samasta Hindu Aghadi’, and 85-year-old Sambhaji Bhide ‘Guruji’, who heads the ‘Shiv Pratisthan’ have been accused of orchestrating the violence that marred the bicentenary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle.
An FIR was registered at the Pimpri police station against Bhide, Ekbote and their supporters on Tuesday.
While the major areas in Pune city were largely calm, the industrial areas of Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nigdi and the Bhosari MIDC were tense, with clusters of Bhim Sainiks forcibly downing shutters at many points and staging ‘rasta rokos.’
A number of vehicles were damaged in several areas in pelting of stones.
“Over 55 State Transport buses suffered damage in pelting of stones in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad,” said Tukaram Munde, Chairman and Managing Director of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML).
“Action will be taken against those damaging public property,” said Pune Commissioner of Police Rashmi Shukla. He added that over 70 rallies were staged across the city.
Roadblocks by Dalit outfits brought traffic to a grinding halt along the old Pune-Mumbai highway.
Private schools remained closed in the city, while a paper for M.Pharm. scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed by the Pune University administration.
The usually bustling Swargate Bus Depot in Pune wore a desolate look as transport ground to a halt. The supply of vegetables was hit as well, dropping sharply by 20%, said officials of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC).
Highways blocked
In Nashik in north Maharashtra, the bandh disrupted public and private transport services. Bus services across districts in western Maharashtra like Satara were suspended, as were inter-State bus services from Maharashtra to neighbouring Karnataka.
In the Konkan belt, Bhim Sainiks staged roadblocks along the Mumbai-Goa Highway.
Life in several districts of the Marathwada region, especially Aurangabad, was badly hit.
Internet services were suspended since morning, while first-year exams at the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (BAMU) were cancelled.
There was considerable tension across Aurangabad city, with incidents of pelting of stones reported at three points.
Sources said that at least 25 policemen were injured while dispersing protesters.
“We have taken more than 150 protesters into custody. Dr. Nagnath Kode, Assistant Commissioner of Police and inspector Kailash Prajapati were among 25 police personnel injured in pelting of stones,” said a senior police official.
