Curfew has been imposed in Maharastra's Beed and Dharashiv districts on Tuesday following incidents of violence during the ongoing agitation for the Maratha reservation.
Dharashiv district collector Sachin Ombase said the curfew is imposed under section 144 (2) of the CrPC in the district and will continue till further orders. An assembly of more than five people is not allowed during the curfew period. The order will apply to schools, colleges and shops in the district.
Curfew is in place in Beed district too where a violent mob torched NCP MLA Prakash Solanke's house on Monday. Another NCP MLA's residence too was attacked by the mob.
The situation is currently under control and 49 people have been arrested in connection with the violence and arson. "The situation is currently under control," Beed Superintendent of Police Nandkumar Thakur told PTI. "Offences for rioting and putting lives in danger have been lodged in connection with the incidents. So far, 49 agitators have been arrested. There was no untoward incident at night, and the situation is under control," he said.
Additional police force has been deployed in the district to maintain law and order. Beed Collector Deepa Mudhol Munde said the curfew has been enforced in a periphery of 5 kilometres from the collector office, head offices of talukas along all national highways passing through the district.
Kunbi certificates
District authorities will start issuing fresh Kunbi certificates from Tuesday. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said 11,530 old records have the mention of Kunbi caste.
Shinde added that a committee formed earlier to submit a report on how to issue Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community will submit its report on Tuesday, which will be discussed in the cabinet. A three-member committee of experts will be set up to advise the state government on the submission of a proposed curative petition in the Supreme Court in connection with the Maratha quota issue.
The government will also hold talks with Maratha quota activist Jarange Patil, the Maratha community leader leading the indefinite fast. "The state government needs some time and he should give it to us," he said.
Bus services suspended
The Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) has suspended its bus services to Maharashtra after one of its buses was set on fire by protesters at Omerga during the ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation. The state-owned KKRTC bus was en route to Pune from Bhalki in Bidar when the incident occurred.