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

PUNE: 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.

Police personnel were deployed in large numbers at sensitive spots like Dandekar Bridge and around the Pune railway station. The State Reserve Police

Force

officials said that eight groups have been pressed into action, adding that the situation in the city is tense, but under control.

The Dalit groups took out morchas in some parts of the city, being guarded by the police. The demonstrators blocked the Pune-Solapur highway at Loni Kalbhor, and also some of the city’s main roads like Fergusson College Road and Jangli Maharaj Road, albeit for a short while. The Pune-Mumbai Expressway was blocked for a short while at the Urse toll plaza.

Some of the protestors forced businessmen to shut shop in parts like Shivajinagar, Karve Road, Kondhwa, Pimpri Chinchwad, and Pune Cantonment. Incidents of stone pelting were reported from the Wakad police lines. One motorcycle was damaged at Rasta Peth.

Demonstrators stopped a number of PMPML- the city transport utility- buses at various locations, emptied them of passengers, and flattened tyres. Till 1pm, the PMPML confirmed damage to at least ten of its buses. The MSRTC has been plying buses from its Pune depots on most routes, but with low passenger numbers. Central Railway said in statement that all trains in the Pune railway division have been running according to schedule.

Incidents of stone pelting on vehicles as well as shops were reported from Pimpri, from demonstrators, due to which most shops downed their shutters. The old Mumbai-Pune highway was barricaded at Morwadi chowk near Pimpri.