At least six buses torched by Maratha protesters in Maharashtra's Pune

At least six buses were set on fire or pelted with stones in Maharashtra's Pune by agitators demanding reservation for Marathas in jobs and education. The protesters behind the act of arson are suspected to belong to the Maratha Kranti Morcha, which was at the forefront of the recent multi-day Maharashtra-wide agitation over reservation for Marathas.

The buses were set on fire at the Chakan industrial area, which is located on the Pune-Nashik highway on the city's outskirts. The sudden breach of peace affected traffic movement in the area.

Following the violent protests, the Indian Penal Code's Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of more than four people in an area, has been imposed in Chakan.

Additional police forces have also been



rushed to the area to bring the situation under control and the superintendent of police of the area, Sandeep Patil, who took charge just today, too has left for the location.

In related developments elsewhere, two men committed suicide over demands for reservation for Marathas. One hung himself to death in Nanded while the other jumped in front of a train in Aurangabad.

The violence in Pune and the two suicides come days after a state-wide agitation was held over the demand for reservation, an emotive issue for the Maratha community in Maharashtra.

CM Devendra Fadnavis, last week, called for talks after the agitation turned violent in some parts of Maharashtra. At least two protesters committed suicide during the protests, which also reached Mumbai.