Even as violent protests marked state-wide protest in Maharashtra on Tuesday by Maratha groups, the police in the state have geared up for the bandh called by the groups today.
While shops were seen shut in Mumbai, a city that usually never comes to a halt, the police said that forces have been deployed across the city in full strength.
Hindustan Times reported Deven Bharti, Joint commissioner of police, law and order as saying that not only were officers in all 93 police stations in the city asked to stay on the streets, they were also keeping a close watch on social media to prevent rumour mongering.
This comes a day after arson and stone pelting by angry protesters was reported from across the state. They are demanding reservation for the Maratha community. The latest spur of protest was triggered by the suicide by a protester who jumped into a river in Aurangabad on Monday.
The Mumbai police told Hindustan Times that the maximum number of police were deployed along the three arterial highways in Mumbai to prevent violence or disruption of traffic.
Despite several precautions, members of the Maratha Kranti Morcha were seen blocking a train in Thane this morning.
#MarathaReservation protests: Workers of #MarathaKrantiMorcha block a local train in Thane pic.twitter.com/cotagpKpzp
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2018
Visuals of arson and violence were already being reported from the city. A photo tweeted by ANI showed burning tired on a bridge in Thane.
#MarathaReservation protests: Tires set ablaze on Majiwada bridge in Thane. #Maharashtrapic.twitter.com/2sTPFB1zRo
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2018
While the protesters requested Bandra shopkeepers to keep their shops shut, they used force in Thane.
#MarathaReservation protests: Workers of #MarathaKrantiMorcha forcibly shut shops on Thane 's Gokhale road pic.twitter.com/Efqoow9sp0
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2018
Another report in Hindustan Times said that shops in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Panvel were seen shut and autos were off the road. The report said that schools and colleges were exempt from the protests.
PTI reported that on Tuesday violent protests were seen in some parts of the state where vehicles were burnt and protesters pelted stones.
The report said that one constable died and nine others were injured in the protests on Tuesday that was most intense in the Aurangabad area.