Mumbai: Several towns and cities in Maharashtra were on edge today as Dalit protests against yesterday’s violence in Pune spilled over to capital Mumbai, with agitators damaging scores of buses, and disrupting road and rail traffic, officials said.

Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of other organisations during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district had left a man dead yesterday.

In Pune, cases were registered by the Pimpri police against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who head the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of “British victory” in the battle.

Over 160 buses were damaged in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court into the Pune violence, and appealed for calm. He said it needed to be ascertained if there was a conspiracy behind yesterday’s violence.

Fadnavis said a Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed and his death would be probed by the CID.

Prakash Ambedkar, the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and grandson of B R Ambedkar, has called a ‘Maharashtra bandh’ tommorrow to protest against the government’s “failure” to stop the violence.

Dalit groups were celebrating the bicetenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle which the forces of the British East India Company had won over those belonging to the Peshwa.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community – then considered untouchable – were part of the East India Company’s forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins, and the victory was seen as a symbol of assertiveness by Dalits.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi called the event to celebrate the Bhima-Koregaon battle as a “potent symbol” of resistance to RSS-BJP’s “fascist vision”.

“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,” he tweeted.

In Mumbai, protesters disrupted road traffic in the suburbs and local train services on the Harbour Line. They blocked roads in several areas, forced shops to shut down, and also attacked a journalist of a television news channel.

Protesters staged a rail roko in Chembur.

Dalit groups of protesters held demonstrations in Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi, police said.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration.

Protests were also held in Kolhapur, Parbhani, Latur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Kolhapur, Nanded and Thane districts, police said.

Heavy security was deployed in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai.

The Mumbai police, meanwhile, issued a statement appealing to people not to believe in rumours and verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media.

Maharashtra minister of state for home Deepak Kesarkar today visited Bhima-Koregoan and neighbouring villages and said the situation was under control.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar blamed the administration for yesterday’s violence and demanded a probe into the incident.

Appealing for peace, Pawar said such situations need to be defused patiently by those in political and social spheres without any provocative speeches being made.

“Since the administration did not take precautions, rumours and misunderstanding spread. A youth in Nanded died unfortunately. People from political and social field should defuse the situation harmoniously and patiently without making provocative speeches,” the former Union minister said.

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan condemned the violence and urged people not to believe in rumours.

Antisocial elements were trying to create tensions between Dalits and Maratha communities for political benefit, he said.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said the violence was unfortunate and condemnable.

RSS condemns incidents of violence in Maharashtra

Nagpur: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) condemned the incidents of violence at Bhima-Koregaon village in Pune district and other parts of Maharashtra.

Manmohan Vaidya, the akhil bhartiya prachar pramukh of the RSS, in a press statement uploaded on the outfit’s Twitter handle, stated, “The recent incidents at Koregaon, Pune and various other places in Maharashtra are very sad and painful.

RSS strongly condemns such violence and feels it is despicable.

“Those who are found guilty should be punished as per law. Some forces are trying to create hatred and animosity among communities. The people should not fall prey to such nefarious tactics.”

It further appealed to the public to maintain unity and harmony in the society, which has always been the priority of the RSS.

Several towns and cities of Maharashtra were on the edge today as Dalit protests against yesterday’s violence in Pune spilled over to capital Mumbai, with the agitators damaging buses and disrupting road and rail traffic, officials said.

Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of other organisations, during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district, had left a man dead yesterday.

Complaint against Mevani, Khalid

Pune: The police today said they had received a complaint against Gujarat MLA and Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani and Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University’s (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid for their “provocative” speeches at an event here on December 31.

Mevani and Khalid had attended the “Elgar Parishad”, an event organised to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima-Koregaon, at Shaniwar Wada in the city on December 31.

According to the complainants — Akshay Bikkad and Anand Dhond — Mevani and Khalid had made “provocative” comments at the event.

Bikkad and Dhond, both locals, approached the Deccan Gymkhana police station with an application and demanded the registration of a case against Mevani and Khalid for allegedly promoting enmity between different communities.

“Mevani provoked the people to come out on the streets and retaliate. Due to this statement, people took to the streets and tension gripped the city,” according to the complaint.

A senior officer attached to the Deccan Gymkhana police station confirmed the receipt of the complaint application.

He added that it would be forwarded to the Vishrambaug police station, under the jurisdiction of which Shaniwar Wada fell, for further action.

Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of other organisations during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district had left a man dead yesterday.

The clashes broke out at Bhima-Koregaon when people were headed towards the war memorial in the village, about 30 km from Pune city, the police had said.

Left leaning Dalit groups were celebrating the bicentenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, which the forces of the British East India Company had won over those of the Peshwa.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community — then considered untouchables — were part of the East India Company’s forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins and the victory was seen as a symbol of assertiveness by Dalits.