Violent clashes erupt in Jalna, protesters set buses ablaze on Dhule-Solapur highway

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 today. 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, confusion prevails in Jalna. Several protesters have been detained by the police, and now, the protesters are taking to the streets.

जालना - अंतरवाली सराटी येथे मराठा आरक्षणासाठी सुरू असलेल्या आंदोलनादरम्यान पोलिसांचा लाठीचार्ज #MarathaReservationpic.twitter.com/mE6C4QEWgV

— Lokmat (@lokmat) September 1, 2023

Following the police lathi-charge, the protesters have turned more aggressive. They set two buses on fire along the Dhule-Solapur highway, creating a tense atmosphere in Antarwali Sarathi village, as per the reports in media. Earlier, there was reported to be a confrontation between the police and villagers. The protesters set fire to two buses located four kilometres away from the site where the Maratha protesters conducting a hunger strike were lathi-charged by the police. Some vehicles were also targeted with stone pelting. The protesters set both a private and a state transport corporation bus ablaze.

Meanwhile, TV9 Marathi spoke to some locals. At the time, a villager said the protesters were shouting slogans, saying that some of their protesters had been taken away by the government's people. The protesters first deboarded the passengers of the bus and then set the buses on fire. Protesters with handkerchiefs around their mouths were seen at the scene.