Home Cities Mumbai Mumbai bandh highlights: Jignesh Mevani appeals for peace, says state govt must ensure rule of law

Mumbai bandh highlights: Jignesh Mevani appeals for peace, says state govt must ensure rule of law

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "A central pillar of the RSS/BJP’s fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance."

Over 100 people were detained at different locations in Mumbai on Tuesday during the protests, said Mumbai Police after Dalit groups sought action against those involved in the violent clashes in Pune the day before. DCP Mumbai Police PRO Sachin Patil said, “More than 100 people have been detained at different locations. Section 144 has not been imposed in Chembur or other parts of eastern suburbs.”

Calling for a statewide band on Wednesday, Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday said, “The judicial inquiry ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is not acceptable to us. The government should request to the chief justice of Bombay High Court to appoint sitting judge to probe this incident. The judge should have the powers to collect the evidence and to punish the culprits. The inquiry should be conducted by a non-Dalit judge.”

Follow LIVE UPDATES on the Maharashtra bandh here

Highlights of the Mumbai bandh:

9:55 pm: Complaint against Jignesh Mevani and Umar Khalid received at Pune’s Deccan Police Station. Complainant alleges they made provocative statements that led to tension between two communities.

Click here to see Mumbai bandh photos

9:17 pm: Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Police has kept additional force on standby and even plans to invoke prohibitory orders if need be in response to the statewide bandh call made by Dalit leaders. “We have made elaborate arrangements to keep the situation under control in view of the bandh call. Extra forces have been kept on standby. Some areas have been identified where the internet could be suspended so that people cannot spread rumours on social media. Regulatory orders which include section 37 of the Maharashtra (Bombay) Police Act and Section 144 of CrPC can also be used if the situation demands,” DGP Satish Mathur told The Indian Express.

8.30 pm: However, Mumbai’s Deonar area continues to be affected by the protest as it faces traffic congestion, reports ANI.

(Source: ANI photo)

8:20 pm: Traffic resumed at Eastern Express Highway, which was the worst affected area owing to the bandh.

8:00 pm: Eastern Express Highway at Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar in Ghatkopar still blocked. Here are some of the pictures:

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES. (Source: Express photo by Dipti Nagpaul Dsouza)

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES. (Source: Express photo by Dipti Nagpaul Dsouza)

7:07 pm: Jet Airways waived off cancellation charges including fare difference if any, on all confirmed tickets for flights into/out of Aurangabad, Pune and Mumbai.





6:46 pm: Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani has also reacted to the incident. He has tweeted: “Maharashtra government must ensure rule of law. I appeal to the people of Maharashtra to maintain peace.”



6:38 pm: Ambedkar said, “If there was any tension, the 200th-anniversary commemoration of the Bhima Koregaon battle would not have taken place. Yesterday’s programme was organised by Sambhaji Brigade (a Maratha organisation.” He also alleged the trouble occurred because of Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan, headed by Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, respectively.

“Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Sabha (ABHS), Peshwa heirs, had opposed the event. We held talks with ABHS after which they decided against opposing,” he said.

6:36 pm: Ambedkar, the grandson of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar, has appealed for peace during the bandh period. He alleged that Hindu Ekta Aghadi was responsible for the violence.

6:28 pm: Case registered against two persons at Pune’s Pimpri Police Station, ANI quoted DCP Ganesh Shinde as saying.

5:58 pm: Train services on Harbour line resumed from 4:40 pm.

5:48 pm: Shopkeepers were forced to put the shutters down at Damu Nagar Kandivali after the unrest in the city today.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Shops at Damu Nagar Kandivali. (Source: Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)

5:38 pm: Congress President Rahul Gandhi has reacted to the Mumbai bandh. He has tweeted: “A central pillar of the RSS/BJP’s fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance.”



5:20 pm:



4: 59 pm: Here is the photo of Jignesh Mewani, Omar Khalid, Prakash Ambedkar and Radhika Vemula in Pune at an event marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Jignesh Mewani, Omar Khalid, Prakash Ambedkar and Radhika Vemula in Pune at an event marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. (Source: ANI photo)

4:56 pm: More than 100 people have been detained at different locations, says DCP Mumbai Police PRO.

4:50 pm: According to Mumbai traffic police, traffic congestion is reported on Eastern Express Highway (at Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, Cheda Nagar and Kamraj Nagar), due to certain agitations in Mumbai.

People are advised to avoid these roads for the moment. They may take LBS Road as an alternate where traffic is moving through slow.

Following diversions have been affected.

# Vikroli north and south bound diverted to LBS road.

# JVLR partly diverted towards Saki Vihar.

4:46 pm: All bus services from Pune to Ahemadnagar have resumed now.

4:30 pm: Here the details of the buses which have been attacked during the protests.

4:25 pm: Section 144 has not been imposed in Chembur or other parts of eastern suburbs: Mumbai Police PRO

4:21 pm: Prakash Ambedkar said, “The judicial inquiry ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is not acceptable to us. The government should request to the chief justice of Bombay High Court to appoint sitting judge to probe this incident. The judge should have the powers to collect the evidence and to punish the culprits. The inquiry should be conducted by a non-Dalit judge.”

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Prakash Ambedkar said those involved in the riots are related to the ruling parties. (Source: ANI photo)

4:19 pm: Eastern Express Highway towards Mumbai has now resumed near Chembur. Traffic towards thane still blocked.

Read | In the aftermath of Pune clashes, Dalits call for ‘Rasta Rokho’ in Mumbai

4:17 pm: Prakash Ambedkar says, those involved in the riots are related to the ruling parties. Sambhaji Bhide of Shivraj Pratishthan, Milind Ekbote of Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Gughe from Manjari are the main conspirators behind riots.

4:14 pm: RPI workers gathered at NM Joshi Marg police station and submitted a letter requesting for a peaceful protest. In the letter, they have mentioned that they are calling for ‘band’ tomorrow.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: RPI workers at NM Joshi Marg police station. (Source: Express photo)

3:51 pm: Here are some of the pictures of protests at LBS Marg in Kurla West.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Protesters outside LBS road, Kurla. (Source: Express photo by Sailee Dhayalikar)

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says he will request the Supreme Court to initiate a judicial inquiry into the violence on January 1. (Source: Express photo by Sailee Dhayalikar)

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES. (Source: Express photo by Sailee Dhayalikar)

3:38 pm: Prakash Ambedkar has called for a statewide bandh on Wednesday, while the RPI has planned dharna outside all police stations in Mumbai on Wednesday.

3:32 pm: Women, children among hundreds are sitting on the Eastern Express Highway.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Women, children among hundreds are sitting on the Eastern Express Highway. (Source: Express photo)

3:29 pm: Eastern Express Highway near Amar Mahal in Chembur.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Eastern Express Highway near Amar Mahal in Chembur. (Source: Express photo)

3:27 pm: Services on the Harbour line have been affected. Trains between CSMT to Kurla and between Mankhurd to Panvel are running. However, services are disrupted between Kurla to Mankhurd. “The police force is at the stations and is trying to force the protestors out of the railway premises,” said a railways official.

3:16 pm: Here is a photo of traffic outside IIT main gate. Traffic on both sides was halted for at least half an hour.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Five people including four cops have been injured in the protests. (Source: Express photo)

3:12 pm: After handing over a complaint letter to the local DCP, vehicles are allowed to move at JVLR now.

3:06 pm: Local train services have been affected on Harbour line between Chembur and Govandi due to agitation by protesters, according to ANI.

2:56 pm: Five people including four cops have been injured in the protests. They have been taken to Rajawadi and Kurla Bhabha hospitals.

2.44 pm: Traffic update in Mumbai: vehicles have been diverted towards VN Purav Marg at Chembur Naka. Traffic has also slowly begun inching on the Sion Panvel Highway, which was blocked by protestors. There is heavy police deployment, with authorities trying to bring the situation under control. Protesters are demanding action against those involved the Pune clashes yesterday.



Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: A group of women protestors on the Sion Panvel highway (Express Photo)

2.25 pm: Earlier today, NCP leader Sharad Pawar had taken to Twitter to blame authorities for not being able to handle the situation yesterday, despite anticipating that so many people would attend the event.

2.14 pm: Shiv Sena Shakha office door in Chembur has been vandalised by protesters. Here’s a photo, taken by our reporter on the ground.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Shiv Sena Shakha in Chembur vandalised (Express Photo)

1.58 pm: In Pune, buses have been vandalised in Hadapsar and in Fursungi, due to which services to Ahmednagar and Aurangabad have been suspended, reports ANI. Members of the Maratha community staged protests on the highway earlier today, in protest of the incident. At least one person was killed in the violence yesterday, while several people were injured.



1.51 pm: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says he will request the Supreme Court to initiate a judicial inquiry into the violence on January 1. Speaking to reporters, he says, “Request will be made to SC for judicial inquiry in Koregaon violence matter and CID inquiry will also be conducted on the death of the youth. Rs 10 lakh compensation for victim’s kin,” reported ANI.

1.31 pm: Meanwhile, members of the Maratha community staged a protest this morning in Pune. They are protesting the violent clashes that took place yesterday.

Members of the Maratha community stage protest in Pune on Tuesday (Express Photo/Arul Horizon)

The police are deployed to control agitators in Pune on Tuesday (Express Photo/Arul Horizon)

1.17 pm: In case you’re just joining us, here’s the latest on the Mumbai bandh: Dalit protesters, who are seeking action against members of the Maratha community, have called for a ‘rasta rokho’ in the city. The protest comes a day after Dalit and Maratha groups clashed in Pune, resulting in the death of one person. This morning, protesters tried to stall train services — Operations at Chembur station were briefly paused. Now, they are trying to march towards Ambedkar garden.

1.14 pm: Protestors have stopped traffic on Sion Panvel highway, near Chembur. They are trying to march towards Ambedkar Garden. Here’s a picture of the highway right now.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Traffic stalled on the Sion Panvel Highway in Mumbai on Tuesday (Express Photo)

1.05 pm: As you can see in the picture below, there is heavy deployment of police in parts of the city, especially in Damu Nagar Kandivali, where shops have been closed as well. The city police is trying to restrict groups have moving ahead to the Ambedkar garden. Earlier this morning, the Additional Commissioner of Police had said the police has managed to avoid protesters from stalling train services.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Heavy deployment of police in Damu Nagar Kandivali (Express Photo)

12.53 pm: Dalit groups are trying to march towards Ambedkar Garden in Chembur, but have been stopped near Chembur Naka. The police is not permitting protesters to move ahead. Meanwhile, anti-RSS slogans can be reportedly heard at the rally.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Protesters march towards Ambedkar Garden in Mumbai on Tuesday (Express Photo)

12.30 pm: On Monday, at least one person was killed and several injured after violent clashes erupted between Dalit and Maratha groups. Here’s a picture of a vehicle being torched in Pune.

Mumbai bandh LIVE UPDATES: Clashes in Pune on Monday left at least one person dead and several injured (Express Photo)

12.21 pm: Reacting to the developments, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale says, “Spoke to Maharashtra CM, demand that this matter should be inquired; action must be taken against the culprits so that such incidents don’t recur,” reports ANI.

12.20 pm: Train services are stalled in Chembur station. Shops located outside the station have been closed too. The shutters are down in many shops, as you can see from the picture below, taken by our journalist on the ground.



12.15 pm: Welcome to our live blog. Groups are seeking a bandh in Mumbai today, a day after violent clashes were reported in neighbouring city, Pune, between Dalits and Marathas. Follow this blog for news and updates.

Violence between the Dalit and Maratha communities was reported on Monday, after lakhs of Dalits gathered in the city to attend an event to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. The clashes had led to at least one person being killed and several injured.

Hundreds of people stalled train operations at Mulund, Chembur, Bhandup, Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar in Vikhroli and Nehru Nagar in Kurla this morning. Additional Commission of Police Lakhmi Gautam said, “There are groups of people attempting a raasta roko (to block the way). The police has managed to avoid it so far.”

Meanwhile, Maratha groups also staged protests in Pune. Buses were reportedly vandalised, due to which services to Ahmednagar and Aurangabad were suspended.

(With inputs from ENS and agencies)

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