The Thane Police have significantly increased security measures outside Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's residence, responding to the escalating Maratha agitation in the state. Simultaneously, security has been bolstered outside the homes of other prominent political figures and dignitaries within the city. The police presence has also been reinforced around the collector's office and various government buildings.
The enhanced security measures, however, led to the temporary closure of the service road adjacent to Eknath Shinde's residence, causing inconvenience and rerouting traffic for local residents. This move reflects the authorities' commitment to maintaining order in the midst of mounting tensions.
The ongoing hunger strike by Manoj Jarange-Patil, calling for Maratha community reservations, has been accompanied by incidents of arson, particularly targeting the homes of political leaders throughout the state. State transport service buses have been set ablaze in several locations, and black flags were shown to MP Sunil Tatkare during his visit to Thane. There was even an attempt to stage a protest outside Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's residence.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Minister Uday Samant, MP Rajan Vichare, MLAs Pratap Sarnaik, Sanjay Kelkar, Niranjan Davkhare, Ravindra Phatak, and other notable figures are presently residing in the area, prompting the police to remain on high alert.
In response to the security concerns, senior officials conducted a security inspection of Shinde's residence on Tuesday, resulting in additional deployment of Wagle police personnel. The temporary closure of the service road caused minor disruptions for commuters travelling from Nitin Company towards Louiswadi and Teen Hath Naka.
Further security measures were taken outside the homes of Thane's MLAs, MPs, and other essential public representatives, with police patrol vehicles actively monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, activists from the Sakal Maratha Samaj launched a chain hunger strike outside the Thane collector's office to advocate for Maratha reservations, prompting the authorities to bolster security in that vicinity as well.