The Maratha Kranti Morcha called off the bandh declared in Mumbai, saying that they wanted the people of Mumbai to ‘return home safely’. However, the protests continued to be staged in the neighbouring city of Thane.
“We only wanted to prove that we are together and proved it. We never wanted protests to get violent and therefore we are calling off our bandh in Mumbai for today,” said Virendra Pawar, one of the leaders directing the protest.
Maharashtra Kranti Morcha also appealed to other protesters in Pune, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Raigad to call off the strike. The agitators have given the government time till August 9, 2018, to sort out issues relating to reservation for Marathas.
Devendra Fadnavis on 24th July, on the other hand, has urged the state’s backward class commission to submit its report on the reservation to the community as early as possible so that necessary action can be undertaken. Protesters had also tried to block rail services across the city. A few of them stopped trains on the fast track towards Churchgate at Jogeshwari at 9.16 a.m. However, they were removed from the track and the services resumed at 9.24 a.m.
There were road blockades as a part of the protest in the Mankhurd suburb, but the police stopped them. There were also attempts to burn tyres on a road in Chandivali area and Jogeshwari and Kandivali, but the police ‘dispersed’ them, an official stated.
In some areas such as Bandra, Matunga and Mulund, protesters marched on the roads and were seen requesting shopkeepers with folded hands to close their establishments. They also hurled stones on two public transport buses in Wagle Estate area of Thane city.
A constable has died and nine other policemen were injured amid a suicide attempt by three agitators during the violence. Agitators had clashed with the police and torched vehicles at several places. Internet services were suspended in rural areas of Aurangabad district to prevent any incident which could further disrupt activities.