In another incident involving political figures being targeted by Maratha quota agitators, the SUV of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator and Maharashtra cabinet minister, Hasan Mushrif, was vandalized in Mumbai on Wednesday morning. The attack occurred around 7.30 am near the Akashwani MLA hostel in south Mumbai. Activists advocating for Maratha quota rights, armed with wooden sticks, assaulted the parked SUV, resulting in damage to its windows. During the incident, the agitators chanted the slogan "Ek Maratha, lakh Maratha."
Prompt police intervention led to the detention of three individuals involved in the attack. Further investigation revealed that these individuals hailed from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. The damaged vehicle was subsequently taken to the Marine Drive police station for additional examination.
This incident follows a recent pattern of violence related to the demand for Maratha reservation, with a particular focus on those who oppose it. On October 26, two cars belonging to lawyer Gunaratna Sadavarte, a vocal opponent of Maratha reservation, were vandalized in the Parel area of Mumbai, resulting in the arrest of three individuals by the police.
In response to these recent outbreaks of violence, the Mumbai police have heightened security measures for cabinet ministers, political figures, political party offices, and other significant locations across the city.