Live updates: Maharashtra bandh called off after a day of disruption

Just look at history of the party (BJP) in last 3.5 years, you'll know the facts. Whether it is Una, no Jignesh was there in Una, no Jignesh was there in Rohith Vemula (case): Kapil Sibal on allegation against Jignesh Mevani of making provocative statements #BhimaKoregaonViolence

& mdash; ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Maharashtra Bandh: 12 flights cancelled, 235 delayed at Mumbai airport

Flight operations at the Mumbai airport were badly hit due to the Maharashtra Bandh called by Dalit leaders today, with 12 flights getting cancelled and 235 delayed. The shut-down, called to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence against celebration of 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district, disrupted normal life across Maharashtra, including Mumbai. The shut-down was withdrawn later this evening.

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Passengers queue up outside domestic arrival terminal 1B to book cabs #MaharashtraBandh pic.twitter.com/G1un401old

& mdash; TOI Mumbai (@TOIMumbai) January 3, 2018

Inquiry will be conducted in the incidents of violence that took place across Maharashtra. We are monitoring the CCTV footage of the violence: CM Devendra Fadnavis #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/DNqzPHPC0Y

& mdash; ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Trains stuck back to back between Dadar and Parel. People walking on the tracks #MaharashtraBandh pic.twitter.com/p1CFT0a0H9

& mdash; TOI Mumbai (@TOIMumbai) January 3, 2018

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and BR Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar has withdrawn the state-wide bandh after normal life was badly affected in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on Wednesday

Dalit groups had called for a complete shutdown in the state in protest against the violent clashes that broke out during the Bhima Koregaon battle anniversary in Pune on Monday. "People are extremely hurt at the communal tensions in the state the contributions of the marginalized community towards nation building are being questioned today," he added. Daily life in Mumbai was disrupted as protesters attacked city buses, stopped suburban local services and blocked roads at various places in the city. Dalits began protests in suburban Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kamraj Nagar, Vikhroli, Dindoshi, Kandivali, Jogeshwari, Kalanagar and Mahim, police said.

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Prakash Ambedkar has demanded that police arrest Bhide Guruji and Milind Ekbote for inciting mobs against people who had gathered at Bhima Koregaon on Jan 1

WR is geared up to run all services during evening peak hours as per regular time table for commuters to safely reach their destinations. Additional security staff deployed at stations. All lines are working

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and BR Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar withdraws Maharashtra bandh

He said, "the bandh was mostly peaceful barring three incidents two in Mumbai and one in Aurangabad. I want to congratulate the protestors as they kept their calm even at a time when the emotions were very high. Police is taking combing operations in Aurangabad and that they should stop immediately"

Maharashtra bandh: Cases of stone pelting reported, shops forced to close down

The main thoroughfares in Pune wore a mostly deserted look on Wednesday following the bandh call by Dailt outfits in protest of the January 1 Koregaon Bhima violence. Most establishments, including schools, hotels, shops and some banks, remained closed in the most parts of the city. Stray cases of violence including stone pelting at buses were reported.

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There is no disruption on WR section in Mumbai. Suburban and Long Distance services are running on all lines. Efforts being made to provide local trains at regular interval/every 10 mins during evening peak hours. Administration & Security Forces on alert & monitoring the situation

There has been no death of a person from Dalit community. Wrong messages are being spread on social media, people have to be very cautious. The situation overall is peaceful in Maharashtra: Deepak Kesarkar, MoS, Home Rural on #BhimaKoregaonVoilence pic.twitter.com/TtHeqE5oTm

& mdash; ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Maharasthra Bandh: Violence and near-total bandh in Marathwada, Nashik, Kolhapur

The bandh called by Dalit outfits in the state prompted a near-total response in Marathwada, punctuated by sporadic violence, with transport and establishments being mostly shut, and people keeping indoors.

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Trains halted in Ghatkopar, passengers stranded

#MaharashtraBandh Trains halted in Ghatkopar, passengers stranded https://t.co/7oNgCTGDVe pic.twitter.com/WZOykw2wHu

& mdash; TOI Mumbai (@TOIMumbai) January 3, 2018

Ghodbunder Road is now completely shut. This road is the main gateway for heavy vehicles coming from Bhiwandi as well as Nashik and from JNPT towards Gujarat.

Passengers stranded at both international and domestic terminals of the Mumbai airport.

Protesters at Diva assembled on the railway tracks blocking path of trains near the level crossing a few minutes back. The railway police cleared the section and resumed services within minutes.

Silent protests turned violent at noon in Thane

The silent and non-violent protests in the lake city took an ugly turn around noon when mobs of angry Dalit protesters began pelting stones at vehicles plying citizens in and around the city. This mob blocked citizens passageway to Navi Mumbai, Mumbai and Vashi/Mira Road areas by lying on the floor and threatening commuters at crucial links including the Kharegaon Toll Naka, the Mulund Check Naka and the Brahmand Junction.

As many as 5 TMT buses were damaged by miscreants who were pelting stones at them, and their occupants of these buses were asked to get off, which resulted in the corporation calling back all it's buses to the depot. The mob even stopped trains at the Thane station and forced all commuter's aboard to get off. With the main roads off limits, the traffic police was forced to divert all vehicles through the internal roads of the city.

With no mode of public transportation available, many stranded commuters started towards their destinations on foot while some others were given lifts to the closest possible areas by some private vehicles here.

Uproar in Parliament over Maharashtra caste violence

Barring a couple of incidents of stones being pelted on public transport buses, the "bandh" in Pune started on a peaceful note. The shutdown received a mixed response in the city since morning with some shops doing business with their shutters partially up.

Congress accuses Hindutva outfits of triggering Maharashtra caste clashes

Forcefully raising the issue in Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also trained his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wondering why he was maintaining a studied silence on the issue.

The Congress leader said similar violence against Dalits have been witnessed in a number of states including Gujarat where BJP was in power.

Kharge also alleged that "some fascist forces always want to keep the Dalits in lowest strata of the society".

In Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, school bus owners did not ply buses in the second shift as well.

Caste violence: Situation remains tense across Maharashtra

Thane police: "There's traffic congestion at a couple of places as protesters are gathering, but our teams are alert and they are working on clearing all blockages within 15-20 mins. Request citizens to cooperate."

Worli sea link south bound traffic diverted to JK Kapoor-Hardikar-Sasmira-Galaxo-Pandurang Budhkar Marg-Gawde Chowk-Senapati Bapat Road.

Updates from Aurangabad: ACP sustains injuries

The bandh called on Wednesday turned violent in several parts of city. Heavy stone pelting was also reported in several parts of the city. Police have started resorting to use of force. Some policemen including an assistant commissioner of police Nagnath Kole sustained injuries in the incident.

Two film-related events scheduled for Wednesday here were cancelled due to the Maharashtra shutdown called by some Dalit parties. "Due to Maharashtra bandh today, we have decided to push our 'My Birthday Song' trailer release to tomorrow January 4, 2018. Thank you," tweeted the movie's producer and actor Sanjay Suri. Even a song launch event for "Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety" was cancelled "owing to the current situation in the city".

Stones pelted and vehicles damaged by protesters

Maharashtra: Heavy Police deployment in Aurangabad, stones pelted & vehicles vandalized by protesters #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/8RuCB3hNa2

& mdash; ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Railway update: The Down local train services towards Karjat/Kasara suspended from Kanjurmarg.

King Edward Memorial Hospital dean Dr Avinash Supe says total 110 operations done till 12 o'clock, which is normal. However, outpatient patients are reduced to 1,728, which is almost less than half.

Traffic congestion at Mela junction and Worli naka. Traffic diverted at Haji Ali through Mahalaxmi/Sena Pati Bapat Marg.

Kalyan: Mob attack three vehicles at Patripul, damage three mobile phones of those who were clicking pics.

A mob of around 500 protesters gathered at the prime junction at Shivaji chowk in Vashi and shouted slogans. Heavy police deployment has been made at the spot to prevent any untoward incident. The traffic movement from Vashi station towards Kopar Khairane has been diverted along the Sion-Panvel highway.

Protesters block Mumbai-Pune expressway

In response to Maharashtra bandh call, a huge mob of protesters blocked the entry and exit of the Mumbai-Pune expressway at Kalamboli by squatting on the highway on the Pune carriageway near Kalamboli, blocking the vehicular movement towards Pune.

Bhima Koregaon violence: Section 144 imposed in Thane; rail, road services hit

Western Railway update: Rail roko at Dadar, Andheri and Dahisar. Stone pelting reported at Dahisar.

Mumbai Police advisory: Eastern freeway traffic affected due to road blockade at Panjrapol junction. Avoid using it for some time.

Thirteen buses of the civic transport service 'BEST' were damaged by protesters in Kalanagar area (Bandra), Dharavi, Kamraj Nagar, Santosh Nagar, Dindoshi and Hanuman Nagar, an official from the Disaster Management Unit of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

Mumbai Police traffic update: Avoid using Worli naka. Use Worli sea face road.

Suburban train services disrupted on Central Railway due to Mumbai bandh

Train services on Central Railway's mainline towards CSMT was affected, in turn delaying thousands of office-goers. Commuters at several stretches of the suburban network were seen walking along the tracks due to trains being stalled.

The Down line services of the local trains towards Karjat/Kasara has been suspended from Kanjurmarg.

The normally buzzing schools and colleges, the chacophony of vehicles and the rush of office-goers went silent on Wednesday as protesting mobs of Dalit activists took to the streets to enforce a complete shutdown in Thane, the working class neighborhood 35km from Mumbai.

A top view of T-point near MTNL office in Ghatkopar where protesters can be seen blocking roads.

Security enhanced outside Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi in the wake of Bhima Koregaon violence and subsequent protests in Maharashtra.

Harbour line affected between Mankhurd and Kurla. Up and Down services stopped. Panvel, Belapur and Vashi train service shut till next announcement. People can commute via Trans Harbour service.

Metro services between Asalfa and Ghatkopar Metro station stopped by protesters.

Bhima Koregaon violence: Section 144 imposed in Thane; rail, road services hit

Citizens find it difficult to book Ola and Uber cabs amid protests and rail roko at many places in Mumbai suburbs. Cab aggregators charge hefty amount for rides.

Metro services between Ghatkopar and Airport Road station temporarily affected; running normal between Airport Road and Versova; expected to resume in the next 15 minutes.

Protesters block Eastern Express Highway

Mumbai: Protesters continue to block Eastern Express Highway #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/Usg1jHxV4Y

& mdash; ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018