MSRTC suspends bus services from Pune, Nashik to Marathwada region amid Maratha quota protests

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) on Monday suspended its services from Pune to two districts of Marathwada after protestors demanding reservation for the Maratha community threw stones at some of the buses, an official said.Bus services from Pune to Beed and Latur districts were disrupted during the day, while several buses going to other places via Beed were cancelled, Dnyaneshwar Ranavare, depot in-charge at Shivajinagar, said. Buses were vandalised and targeted by mobs at multiple locations, he added.

Twenty-five buses are operated to Beed from Pune and nine buses to Latur every day, he said. "The police have directed us not to operate buses to these districts. Services on the other routes are smooth," Mr Ranavare added.The protests for the Maratha reservation turned violent on Monday after a mob vandalised and set fire to a house of an NCP MLA and part of a municipal council building in Beed.In Nashik too, passengers were seen stranded in absence of buses going towards Marathwada region after incidents of stone pelting in Beed and Osmanabad districts. Meanwhile, the temple town of Shirdi observed a day-long bandh called by Maratha demonstrators demanding reservation for the community.