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Maharashtra: More Than 360 Booked For Violence Over Maratha Quota In Jalna

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A day after a protest over Maratha quota turned violent in Maharashtra’s Jalna, leading to some police personnel and others getting injured, the situation is under control on Saturday and the police have filed a case against more than 360 persons, of whom 16 have been identified, for their alleged involvement in violence, an official said.

Police used baton-charge and fired teargas shells to disperse a violent mob at Antarwali Sarathi village on Dhule-Solapur road in Ambad tehsil, around 75 km from Aurangabad, on Friday.

The protesters, led by Manoj Jarange, had been staging a hunger strike demanding reservation for the Maratha community at the village since Tuesday. The trouble began when police tried to shift Jarange to a hospital on doctors’ advice, officials said.

The agitation turned violent as some persons targeted state transport buses and private vehicles, police said. Villagers claimed that police fired some rounds in the air, but officials did not confirm it.

Agitators remain firm on their demand

On Saturday, the agitators remained firm on their demand and said they would continue with the stir till the government provides reservation to the community. They also questioned the police action against their “peaceful” agitation and asked why they fired bullets in the air and lathi-charged the protesters.

According to police, around 40 police personnel and some other persons were injured in the violence. The protesters torched at least 15 state transport buses and some private vehicles, they said.

“An offence was registered at Gondi police station in Jalna against 16 agitators, who have been identified, and around 350 others for their involvement in violence on Friday,” a senior police official said.

The case was filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 307 (attempt to murder), 333 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and others, he said.

Police personnel are now deployed at the village

Police personnel and a company of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) are now deployed at the village, the official said.

Jalna Superintendent of Police (SP)Tushar Doshi told, “Nearly 40 police personnel were injured in the violence yesterday. Police used plastic bullets and tear shells to disperse the protesters and bring the situation under control. No arrest has been so far and the situation is under control now.” Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday made an appeal for peace and announced that a committee will be set up for a high-level probe into the violence, while Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed that the police were forced to use baton-charge due to stone pelting.

Reservation was quashed by SC earlier

The reservation provided by the state government for the politically dominant Maratha community was quashed by the Supreme Court earlier.

Talking to reporters in Antarwali Sarathi village this morning, protest spearhead Jarange said, “The hunger strike won’t be called off now. Our sisters and the entire village have been protesting in a peaceful manner. The CM has formed a committee over the Maratha reservation, but it has not submitted a report and hence we are agitating.”

Showing a bullet in hand he said, “These bullets were fired and we were lathi-charged inhumanly. Women were also beaten up. Are we Pakistanis or do we have relatives in that country? Why did they fire? We will not stop until we get a reservation, let (CM) Shinde fire as many bullets as he wants.”

A woman, who has also been on a hunger strike with Jarange, sought to know why the police lathi-charged the protesters. “What was the need (for the police) to disturb the atmosphere here. If we wanted to beat someone, then we would have come with lathis in our hands…The government should provide reservation to the Maratha community,” she said.

Former MP Sambhaji Chhatrapati, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and prominent Maratha leader, visited Antarwali Sarathi village on Saturday morning and extended his support to those agitating for the quota demand.

Addressing media persons, he said, “Those on hunger strike here are followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and not of Mughals or Nizams. Firing on people and using lathis against them used to happen during the era of Mughals and Nizams.” “For how many more years the community will have to fight for the reservation demand. The government must tell when they will provide reservation. The same party rules the state as well as at the Centre,” he said.

The government should withdraw the cases registered against the protesters, the founder of ‘Swarajya’ organisation said, adding that 58 peaceful marches were taken out across the state over the Maratha quota demand in the past.

Sharad Pawar to visit Sarathi village on Saturday

Meanwhile, an official said that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar is scheduled to visit Antarwali Sarathi village post-noon on Saturday. He will arrive in Aurangabad and then go to the village. He will also visit the sub-district hospital in Ambad and a primary health centre.

In the wake of the violence in which several state transport buses were torched, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has decided to run buses only on selected routes in the division for the time being.

MSRTC’s Divisional Controller Sachin Kshirsagar said, “Nearly 350 buses have been kept off roads in different depots of the division. Buses are not being operated on Aurangabad-Ahmednagar-Pune, Beed, Jalna, Paithan routes (from Aurangabad). Limited number of buses are being released on certain routes.” 

Maharashtra

Public representatives have high confidence in Shinde’s work, Uddhav Thackeray MPs did not have confidence in his leadership: Milind Deora

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Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora strongly criticised the absence of several MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray faction meeting. He said that only the UBT leadership can answer why UBT MPs did not attend the meeting called by his party. He said that the members who were absent from the meeting lacked faith in their party leadership. Deora said that today the people and public representatives have faith in the work and leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Eknath Shinde sahib works to strengthen the hands of those who trust in Shinde sahib’s leadership. Targeting Sanjay Raut, Milind Deora said that he is not aware of parliamentary traditions and rules. Other UBT MPs should understand what kind of meetings are held and what are the whip rules. On the issue of whip, Deora said that whip is issued only for voting in the House, not for attending any political meeting. This is a parliamentary rule and those who have been members for years should be aware of it. Milind Deora further said that Sanjay Raut sometimes abuses his own MPs, sometimes claims that all MPs are with him, sometimes says that his MPs were given money, and sometimes accuses MPs of corruption. This reflects his contradictory behavior. Sanjay Raut insulted his own MPs. With such behavior, who would want to work with him? He said that no leader has any faith left in the UBT leadership. Public representatives want their leader to be available to them. That is why many leaders still want to work under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. Shiv Sena welcomes anyone who wants to work for the development of their area. Our aim is not to weaken anyone but to strengthen the people. Finally, Deora said that the UBT leadership needs to examine itself instead of blaming others. I can only wish them well.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Customs Department sign MoU for conservation and restoration of Mahim Fort

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The vision of the conservation and restoration of the Mumbai Mahim Fort is to revive its historical beauty. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that it is a matter of pride and honour that the Municipal Corporation is preserving this fort. An MoU was signed between the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the Customs Department today (June 18, 2026) at the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Headquarters for the conservation and restoration work of Mahim Fort, which has been declared a State Protected Monument.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi, Principal Commissioner of Customs Department Shri Ajay Kumar Pandey, Additional Commissioner of Customs Department Nitin Tagde, Vikram Phadke, Deputy Commissioner (Commissioner Office) of Mumbai Municipal Corporation Prashant Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner (South Zone) Prashant Gaikwad, Assistant Commissioner (South Zone) Prashant Gaikwad were also present on the occasion. Yogesh Desai, Advisor on Conservation of Ancient Heritage Vikas Dilawari, Dr. K. K. Sangle, Head of the Department of Structural Engineering, Virmata Jijabai Institute of Technology, etc. were present on the occasion.

As per the directions of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, the conservation and preservation of ancient structures in Mumbai is being done under the guidance of Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi. On this basis, the Municipal Corporation has taken the initiative to conserve and revive the Mahim Fort.

Under this agreement, the dilapidated structure of Mahim Fort will be strengthened and reconstructed. The historical well present in the fort area will be searched and excavated. A pedestrian path will be made all around the interior of the fort. In addition, a protective wall will also be constructed to protect the foundation of the fort. Rs 20 crore has also been allocated for this. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that the Municipal Corporation’s G (North) Department has removed the encroachments on the Mahim Fort and rehabilitated the local residents. So now help will be given to restore the glory of this fort. Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi said that the Municipal Corporation has made great efforts to remove the encroachments on the Mahim Fort, which is a historical and ancient heritage, and to preserve it. Now the administration is planning to develop this fort as a tourist destination.

Principal Commissioner of the Customs Department Ajay Kumar Pandey said that apart from being a historical heritage, Mahim Fort is known as the customs station of the Customs Department. The conservation and restoration work undertaken by the Municipal Corporation will make this fort famous. Also, this fort will develop as a tourist destination for Mumbaikars. Mahim is an ancient fort and the descendants of Raja Bimbadev built this fort around the 12th and 13th centuries. Mahim was the main centre of power among the seven islands of Mumbai and this fort is a symbol of that glorious history. The Maharashtra government declared Mahim Fort as a state protected monument in 1975. The total area of ​​the fort is about 3,796.02 sq m. Currently, the fort is under the jurisdiction of the Customs Department. The existing structure of Mahim Fort was encroached upon in the form of slums. After surveying the entire area, proper documents were verified and 275 slums have been rehabilitated in flats available for project victims in Kurla and Malad. However, the restoration of a religious structure is underway.
The restoration and conservation work of the fort is proposed to be carried out under the guidance of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s G (North) Division Office, Customs Department, Advisor on Conservation of Ancient Cultural Heritage Vikas Dilawari and Dr. Sangal K. Jijabai, Head of the Structural Engineering Department of Veermata.

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Maharashtra

Operation Tiger rebel MPs in Maharashtra should be disqualified: Abu Asim Azmi

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Mumbai: Talking about the ongoing Operation Tiger of Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, Samajwadi Party Mumbai/Maharashtra state president and MLA Abu Asim Azmi said, “Today’s public representatives, leaders, and workers are no longer guided by ideology, they have become greedy. Those who take the votes of the people and then change parties of their own accord, their positions should be declared null and void.” Abu Asim Azmi further said that if someone contests elections on behalf of a party, he is provided with the party’s flag, banner, symbol and money. Workers are working day and night to ensure the victory of their candidate. Those representatives are elected on the basis of the party’s ideology, and people agree with this ideology, so they vote for them. However, after victory, they rebel against the party. A law should be made that if a candidate joins another party after winning, his position should be declared null and void. Taking a dig at the BJP, he said that the BJP is trying to lure, intimidate and It misuses power to intimidate and bring them into its party. If they do not join, they are sent to jail like Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh, but they were proven innocent. The BJP has tried to create a rift in other parties, which is why many parties have been split into two.

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