Mumbai:

Maharashtra Police has so far registered 141 cases in connection with the violence during the Maratha quota agitation and arrested 168 persons, state Director General of Police Rajnish Seth said on Wednesday. 

Speaking about the violence in Beed district, he said 20 cases have been registered including seven offences under section 307 (Attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code between October 24 and 31.

A Rapid Action Force (RAF) company has been deployed in Beed district to avoid any untoward incident and internet services in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (rural), Jalna, and Beed have been suspended, Mr Seth told media persons at the state police headquarters in south Mumbai.

Public properties worth Rs 12 crore were damaged across the state during demonstrations (over eight days), the DGP said.

“Notices have been served to 146 accused persons under section 41 in the CrPC,” he said.

Notably, houses of Nationalist Congress Party MLAs Prakash Solanke and Sandeep Kshirsagar were torched by protesters in Beed district over the last two days. The office of a legislator from the ruling BJP was vandalised by protesters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, police had said.

The first floor of the municipal council building in Majalgaon town in Beed district was set on fire and stones were hurled at it by a group of quota agitators on Monday.

Mr Seth said prohibitory orders have been imposed in Beed district under section 144 of the CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code).

Besides the local police, 17 companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) have been deployed at sensitive locations across Maharashtra, Mr Seth said, adding that 7,000 home guards are also helping the police in maintaining law and order.

“The miscreants involved in damaging public property and arson and those who break the law will be dealt with strictly. We have clear instructions to take strict action. Police will cooperate in peaceful agitations. We have deployed additional manpower wherever required in various districts,” the state’s top police officer added.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who handles the Home portfolio, on Tuesday said agitators who tried to burn down a house in Beed district with family members inside will face attempt to murder charges.

Maratha community members have launched a fresh round of agitation seeking a quota in government jobs and educational institutes. Quota activist Manoj Jarange has been on an indefinite fast at a village in Jalna district since October 25 in support of the reservation demand.

Earlier on Wednesday, leaders at an all-party meeting on Maratha quota chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde passed a resolution asking activist Manoj Jarange to call off his indefinite fast. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Beed:

Maharashtra’s Beed city is today under a security cover in view of the violence that erupted during Maratha quota protests yesterday. Gatherings are banned in Beed and several shops are shut to ensure no fresh outbreak of violence. There is no internet in the city as well.

The houses of two legislators were vandalised while an office of the Nationalist Congress Party was set on fire yesterday by angry protesters even as the government has formed a committee to look into the Maratha’s demands.

This morning, barricades were erected at several places and motorists found travelling without any work were being stopped at check-posts. The roads still bear the signs of tyres and vehicles burnt by the protesters yesterday.

At the bus depot, broken windshields are an evidence of the vandalism that unfolded in the city yesterday. Over 50 buses were vandalised and attempts were made to set the vehicles on fire as well.

“A mob of over a thousand people targeted the bus depot last evening. Around 53 buses were vandalized that resulted in damages worth Rs 70 lakh. These buses were parked at the depot,” said Ajay Kumar More, a district transport official.

“The control cabin at the depot, from where announcements are made, and CCTV cameras were also vandalized. They also tried to set a bus on fire but was stopped by our staff,” he added.

An inspection is on at the depot and buses are not running in the district today due to the security restrictions.

The police have registered 12 cases in connection to Monday’s violence in Beed and arrested 55 people. Besides, around 300 people have been identified as linked to yesterday’s incidents, Beed Superintendent of Police (SP) Nand kumar Thakur told NDTV.

Marathas have been demanding the reservation in education and government jobs. The latest protests were triggered by alleged comments against a hunger strike by pro-quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has assured Mr Patil his government would act on their demand.

Mumbai:

The Maharashtra government on Sunday sent Jalna district’s Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi on compulsory leave, two days after protesters demanding Maratha quota were lathi-charged, triggering violence, sources said.

The police have arrested 40 in connection with the violence that erupted in Jalna district on Friday, sources said.

The police resorted to baton-charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob in Antarwali Sarathi village after protesters allegedly refused to let authorities shift a man on hunger strike over Maratha quota demand to the hospital.

Several people, including 40 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 state-run buses were set ablaze in the violence. Around 360 persons have been charged in connection with the violence.

Several opposition leaders condemned the police action while a demand was raised for state Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ resignation.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)