Protests intensify in Mumbai, BEST buses damaged; rail blockade in Palghar, Thane

The bandh called by the Dalit outfits across Maharashtra to protest against Pune’s Koregaon-Bhima violence has severely affected the normal life on Wednesday.
MUMBAI / NEW DELHI: The bandh called by Dalit outfits across Maharashtra to protest against Pune’s Koregaon-Bhima violence has severely affected the normal life on Wednesday. As per reports, inter-state bus services have been affected, several BEST buses have been vandalised and metro rail operations have been blocked at various places in Mumbai. Meanwhile, Section 144 has been imposed in Thane and security has been tightened in sensitive areas after Pune’s Koregaon-Bhima violence spread to other parts of Maharashtra.
Two Thane Municipal Transport buses and an auto-rickshaw vandalized in Chendani Koliwada area, four passengers injured.
Metro services between Asalfa and Ghatkopar Metro station stopped by protesters, reports ANI.
Shops at NM Joshi Marg forcibly being closed by protesters in Mumbai.
Protests being carried out in the state; Here are some more visuals from Nagpur’s Shatabdi Square.
13 BEST buses damaged due to stone pelting. Rasta roko at Bandra Kalanagar, Dharavi Kumbharwada, Kamraj Nagar, Santoshnagar Dindoshi, Hanuman Nagar Kandivali; road traffic affected, says reports.
Protesters have jammed the Eastern Express Highway near Ghatkopar.
Heavy security arrangements in Dandekar pool in view of protests over Bhima-Koregaon violence. “We appeal all citizens to carry on with their daily routine. There will be peace in the city. Don’t trust rumours being spread on social media,” says DCP Pravin Mundhe.
Commuters stranded in Mumbai becuaese of lesser number of autorickshaw and other transport on roads. An autorickshaw driver in Mulund says, “We are supporting this bandh only because we are scared about our loss. They can vandalize anything here.”
Protesters try to block Western Expressway in Mumbai.
Internet services suspended in Aurangabad, bus operations also affected, reports ANI.
Seen at Abasaheb Garware College in Pune, ‘No practicals, lectures today’.
Internet services suspended in Aurangabad, bus operations also affected.
“It was left for the parents to decide if they want to send their their children to school, hardly 50 students came today. So now we are even sending them back home, teachers will also leave thereafter” says a teacher at Young Ladies High School in Mumbai.
Train services from Virar in suburban Mumbai resume after being halted for an hour.
Bus services towards Pune’s Baramati and Satara suspended till further orders.
“Don’t believe or spread rumors, continue with your routine activities,” Mumbai Police advises residents.
Few protestors tried to disrupt Railway services at Thane but were immediately cleared by RPF and GRP officials. Services are running uninterrupted on Central Railway as of now” says CPRO Central Railway.
Security deployment in Ghatkopar’s Ramabai Colony and Eastern Express Highway.
Bhima-Koregaon violence: Section 144 imposed in Maharashtra’s Thane till 4th January midnight.
Government has not declared any leave for schools, colleges and offices. Heavy police deployment could be seen at all sensitive locations.
Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said the violence was unfortunate and condemnable.
Maximum impact of the bandh likely in eastern suburbs of Ghatkopar, Chembur, Tilak Nagar and Mulund, in Mumbai.
Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan condemned the violence and urged people not to believe in rumours.
Won’t run school buses in Mumbai today, can’t risk students’ safety and security. Will take a second decision at 11 AM if we can run them in the second half, depending on the situation, says Anil Garg of School Bus Owners’ Association.
Appealing for peace, Pawar said such situations need to be defused patiently by those in political and social spheres without any provocative speeches being made.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar blamed the administration for Tuesday’s violence and demanded a probe into the incident.
The Mumbai Police too issued a statement appealing to people not to believe in rumours and verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media.
Heavy security was deployed in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai.
Protests were also held in Kolhapur, Parbhani, Latur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Kolhapur, Nanded and Thane districts, reports said.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration.
Protesters staged a rail roko in Chembur. Groups of protesters held demonstrations in Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi, according to police.
-In Mumbai, protesters disrupted road traffic in the suburbs and local train services on the Harbour Line. They blocked roads in several areas, forced shops to shut down, and also attacked a journalist of a television news channel.
-Congress president Rahul Gandhi called the event to celebrate the Bhima-Koregaon battle as a “potent symbol” of resistance to RSS-BJP’s “fascist vision”.
-Rajnath Singh was told that everything was under control and all possible efforts are being made to restore normalcy, sources in the Home Ministry told PTI.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh too spoke to Fadnavis by phone from New Delhi to take stock of the situation.
-Fadnavis said a Rs 10-lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed and his death would be probed by the CID.
-He said it needed to be ascertained if there was a conspiracy behind Monday’s violence.
-Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court into the Pune violence, had appealed for calm.
-Over 160 buses were damaged in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.
-In Pune, cases were registered by the Pimpri police against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who heads the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of “British victory” in the battle.