Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The water agitation launched by Shiv Sena (UBT) in the Waluj area on Friday took a violent turn. The police, claiming that permission was not taken for the agitation, dragged agitation leader Suresh Sonawane and forced him to sit in a police van. After that, the agitators threw earthen pots at the police force. A mob of around 1,500 residents then gheraoed the police station.
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According to the details, Shiv Sena (UBT) had warned of launching a severe agitation in Waluj to address the water woes of the residents. The agitators, led by Suresh Sonawane, gathered at the Khawada Dongar area on the Dhule–Solapur Highway and initiated a rasta-roko agitation. However, the police objected to the protest, stating that no prior permission had been taken to conduct it.
The police then forcibly took Sonawane, Dattatray Varpe, Lalita Sonawane and others into custody and put them in a police van. However, the mob of agitators turned violent, and women started throwing earthen pots at the police, which they had brought for the agitation. DCP Pankaj Atulkar and some other police officers sustained minor injuries.
All those arrested were taken to the Waluj MIDC Police Station. More than 1,500 residents then went to the police station and gheraoed it. The police had to close the main entrance of the station. Later, a discussion was held between senior police officers and the agitation leaders. Sonawane then came out and appealed to the people to maintain peace.
Shiv Sena (UBT) had created much hype about the agitation to be held on Friday. Hence, several residents gathered at the protest spot. However, the leaders had not taken prior permission from the police administration, and a strict police bandobast was deployed in the morning. DCP Pankaj Atulkar and PI Rameshwar Gade were personally present. The police stopped and arrested agitators arriving in groups. As the agitators were not in the mood to listen, the police used force to arrest the leaders. After the leaders were arrested, the agitation took a violent turn and pots were thrown at the police.
