Maratha Quota Row: Curfew Imposed In Jalna After Bus Set On Fire, MSRTC Halt Services In District

MSRTC imposed restrictions on the ferrying of buses in Jalna after the protestors set a state bus on fire in the district.

A bus was set ablaze by a group of Maratha agitators in Jalna district today. ( Image Source :x/@ANI )

Amid escalating tensions in Maharashtra's Jalna district due to ongoing protests against the state government over Maratha reservation row, a curfew has been imposed to maintain law and order. This came in after a group of Maratha quota agitators on Monday set State Transport bus on fire at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk of Tirthpuri city in Maharashtra's Jalna district. After the incident, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) stopped ferrying its buses in Jalna distict until further notice.

#WATCH | Jalna, Maharashtra: Maratha protestors set a State Transport bus on fire at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk of Tirthpuri city of Ambad taluka. The Maratha community has been protesting against the state Govt on the issue of Maratha reservation.

(Viral video,… pic.twitter.com/O7gt2TVgvH

— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2024

MSRTC's Depot Manager of Ambad Taluka has also lodged a police complaint at a local station demanding action against the accused who set the bus on fire.

The district administration also issued an order to impose a curfew in the Ambad Taluka from Monday midnight until further orders, to maintain law and order amid the ongoing agitation. 

However, government offices, schools, milk distribution, media, hospitals, and movement on national highways were exempted from this order.

An order issued by Jalna collector, Srikrushna Panchal, stated that Jarange announced that he would go to Mumbai on Sunday and protest over Maratha community's reservations. It further stated that there is a possibility that people might go to Antarwali Sarati village in Jalana, where the Maratha activist was staging a hunger strike, to stop him from going to Mumbai. 

The order issued by Panchal also stated that there was a possibility that this would affect the traffic on the Dhule-Mumbai highway and other nearby areas.

Although Jarange left from Antarwali Sarati and reached near Bhamberi village on Sunday night, he had to return for medical treatment.

The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly had passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled on February 20. However, Jarange refused to call off his hunger strike and further demanded that the NDA government implement the 'Sage Soyare' ordinance within two days. He also announced a fresh round of agitation on February 24 if the government failed to accept his demands.