Maratha reservation: Police open fire into air to disperse violent mob

The agitation for the Maratha reservation in Jalna intensified yesterday, with the police resorting to a lathi charge on the protesters. Following yesterday's incident, protests have erupted throughout Jalna, prompting the police to fire bullets into the air.

Protests have erupted at various locations in the state since this morning, leading to the closure of seven districts. In Jalna district, several innocent men and women sustained injuries during a lathi charge. The protesters also organized a road blockade on the Aurangabad-Jalna. The protesters are demanding the suspension of the police officers involved in the lathi charge and the resignation of the home minister.

Maratha reservation protest took a violent turn in Jalna yesterday:

For the past five days, the ‘Maratha Jan Akrosh Morcha’ has been staging a hunger strike in Antarwali Sarathi village of Jalna. Hundreds of people gathered for the hunger strike yesterday. In the evening, the police lathi-charged the protesters, citing that they had to do so because the protesters were pelting stones. 

The police used lathi-charge on hundreds of Maratha protesters and attempted to disperse the crowd by firing tear gas shells. Following this lathi charge, several protesters have been detained by the police, and now, the protesters are taking to the streets. Following the police lathi-charge, the protesters have turned more aggressive. Yesterday, they set two buses on fire along the Dhule-Solapur highway, creating a tense atmosphere in Antarwali Sarathi village.