PUNE: As members of the Maratha community in Jalna's Antarwali Sarathi village led by local Maratha leader Manoj Jarange embarked on a hunger strike on Friday, demanding reservations turned violent after protestors clashed with police, they were lathi-charged by the police in which nearly 50 people were reportedly injured.

According to the police, the incident took place in the evening when the protestors suddenly turned violent and began pelting stones at the police team their vehicles were also torched forcing them to resort to lathi-charge. They also fired tear gas shells and warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd. 

Several protesters including women sustained injuries of various degrees and were admitted to the local hospital for treatment. According to police around 40 of their personnel have also been injured and many buses were set on fire during the violence that erupted. Senior police officers have said that cases would be filed against those involved in the arson based on CCTV footage and other evidence. 

This action of the administration drew strong condemnation from various quarters and resulted in a political blame game in the state as leaders from political parties visited the area and met those injured.

Among the first to arrive was NCP chief Sharad Pawar who met the Maratha community protestors in hospital who were badly injured in merciless police assault. He told media persons that the issues of the 'caste census' as well as the removal of quota cap were discussed in the meeting of opposition bloc INDIA that took place in Mumbai on Thursday and Friday.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray also attacked the government over the police lathi-charge. Speaking at a party workers’ programme in Mumbai he said, "I refuse to believe that the same police who sensitively handled worst of crisis like Covid-19 can be this brutal. There must be someone who is behind this. Police cannot do this without orders".

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray also echoed similar thoughts. In his statement on Twitter), he said that historically, the Maratha community’s protests for reservations have been peaceful. Given the same, authorities’ actions in Jalna raise concerns

The Maharashtra Congress also condemned the lathi charge and later announced that it was temporarily suspending its 'Jan Samvad Yatra' scheduled in all districts of Marathwada from Sunday due to escalating tensions in the region following a police lathi-charge on Maratha quota protesters in Jalna district.