One constable died and nine other policemen were injured in stone pelting today as a state-wide protest by Maratha outfits demanding reservation for the community turned violent with agitators clashing with the police and torching vehicles amid suicide attempt by two protesters.
As the stir for reservation in jobs and education intensified, the Maratha Kranti Morcha, which is spearheading the agitation, also called for a Mumbai bandh tomorrow.
The impact of today's Maharashtra bandh was more visible in Aurangabad and adjoining districts, a day after the death of a protestor yesterday during a protest march in favour of reservations.
Quotas for Marathas, a politically influential community that constitutes around 30 per cent of the state's population, has been a hugely contentious issue.
The community leaders have earlier taken out several rallies in various districts to highlight their demands. Last year, a huge rally was organised by the Maratha Kranti Morcha in this connection in Mumbai.
A police constable deployed near the funeral venue of the Maratha protester who jumped to death yesterday, died but police said the cause of death is yet to be ascertained.
More From This Section
"The post mortem report is awaited. Some injury marks were seen on his hands and legs," a police official said.
Another police constable at the venue got injured in stone pelting, police said.
The 27-year-old Kakasaheb Shinde, had jumped off a bridge over Godavari river in Aurangabad yesterday. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead.
Shiv Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire faced the ire of the protesters when he went to attend Shinde's last rites at his Kaygaon village in Aurangabad today.
Khaire was manhandled by the crowd present there and had to beat a hasty retreat, police said, adding that there was stone pelting as well on the MP's car.
Police present at the venue caned protesters and lobbed tear gas, Superintendent of Police of Aurangabad Arti Singh told PTI.
Eight policemen were injured after protesters pelted stones at the Ghansangvi police station in Jalna, police said. They include two officers, an official said.
A fire brigade van was also set afire at Kaygaon by the protesters, police said.
Protesters also pelted stones on the Hyderabad-Latur bus in Nilanga tehsil of Latur district.
The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation general body meeting today decided to give Rs 10 lakh to the kin of Shinde.
A resolution to seek reservation of 16 per cent seats for Maratha community in jobs and education was also approved at the meeting.
In Sangli, revenue minister Chandrakant Patil of BJP said the state government has done whatever was within its ambit and now it was up to the courts to take a call on this contentious issue.
Some "paid" people have infiltrated in the Maratha stir, the minister said.
A protester, Jagannath Sonawane, 31, from Aurangabad district, sought to emulate Shinde's example by jumping onto a dry river bed, while another, Guddu Sonawane, also from the district, consumed poison. Both have been admitted to the government hospital, police said.
Shinde's death has triggered a fresh set of protests in several parts of Maharashtra.
Internet services were suspended in rural areas of Aurangabad district to prevent any untoward incident.
At Kaygaon, protesters shouted slogans hailing Shinde as a 'martyr', police said.
At a meeting here in Dadar, the Morcha leaders today decided to call for a Mumbai bandh tomorrow.
At another meeting of the Sakal Maratha Samaj in adjoining Vashi, it was decided to call for a bandh tomorrow in Navi Mumbai and Panvel as well.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil blamed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the Maratha quota stir taking a violent turn and demanded his resignation.
Fadnavis had cancelled his visit to a temple in Pandharpur after protesting Maratha outfits threatened to disrupt the event.
Despite assurances from Fadnavis to fulfil the demands, nothing concrete has been done till now, community leaders have claimed.
"We will continue our agitation until Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis apologises to the Maratha community. We will observe bandh in Aurangabad and other parts of the state today," Morcha coordinator Ravindra Patil said.