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Over 500 protestors booked for blocking Pune-Bengaluru highway
The DCP had issued restrictions on large gatherings and protests in the city from October 31 to November 11 to maintain law and order and ensure public safety
A group of around 400 to 500 protestors, who blocked the Pune-Bengaluru Highway near Navale Bridge and set tires on fire to demand reservation for the Maratha community, have been booked by the Sinhagad Road Police. The demonstration, which occurred on Tuesday, resulted in cases being registered against the protestors for violating restriction orders imposed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP Special Branch).
Abhay Mahajan, senior police inspector (SPI) at Sinhagad Road Police station said, “We have booked over 400-500 protestors and rioting charges for blocking the national highway near Navale bridge on both Mumbai and Satara lanes.’’
According to police, on Tuesday at around 11:30 in the morning, a group of protestors gathered near Navale bridge and raised slogans demanding Maratha reservations even after prohibitory orders issued by police.
They blocked both Satara and Mumbai lanes for almost three hours, burnt vehicle tyres, and created a chaotic situation on the highway.
The DCP had issued restrictions on large gatherings and protests in the city from October 31 to November 11 to maintain law and order and ensure public safety. In defiance of these orders, the protestors took to the highway, causing widespread disruption and inconvenience.
The demonstrators including Ravi Padwal, Prashant Pawar, Nikhil Pansare, Umesh Mahadik, Santosh Sathe, Nikhil Dhumal, Sameer Ghate, Abhishekh Bharam, Viraj Sole and Yogesh Daswadkar and 400-500 workers have been charged with a range of offences, including creating chaos on the highway, endangering the lives of commuters and residents, and causing businesses in the area to close during the protest.
To draw attention to their demands for the Maratha reservation, the protestors set tires on fire, creating a plume of thick black smoke that further hampered traffic and visibility.
Authorities, including the Sinhagad Road Police and Fire brigade were quick to respond to the situation.
They managed to disperse the crowd after several hours of negotiations and bring the situation under control. The legal proceedings will determine the consequences for those involved in the protest.
A case has been registered at Sinhagad Road Police station under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 143 (Unlawful assembly), 147 (Rioting), 188 (Disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant), 341 (Wrongful restraint), 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others) and sections 37(1),(3),135 of the Maharashtra Police Act 1951 and other relevant sections.
