Charges against 5000 protesters registered in Maharashtra's Marathwada

Multiple incidents of violence were reported from Aurangabad and Marathawada at a rally organised on August 9 to demand Maratha reservation.

Police on Friday registered complaints against almost 5000 people from eight districts of Marathwada for their alleged involvement in violent activities during the Maratha Reservation Rally. People were detained for provoking violence during the protests.

Marathwada, a region coinciding with Aurangabad in Maharashtra, witnessed protests on August 9 demanding Maratha reservation. 

About 41 people involved in the Maratha reservation protests have been arrested from Aurangabad.

Multiple incidents of violence were reported from Aurangabad and Marathwada. Around 4000 people were booked for disrupting rail services in the Marathwada region. 

Seven criminal cases have been registered in the Waluj police station in connection with the murder and arson at Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) in Aurangabad. Complaints against around 1500 suspects have been lodged so far.

Cases against 35 people in Osmanabad district, 27 in Latur district and 44 in Parbhani district were also registered.

Incidents of stone-pelting, obstruction of traffic movement and arson were reported from Beed district. 32 people have been booked for the charges.

Similar incidents were reported from Nanded district and 300 people have been booked for the same. 

Jalna district reported of two such incidents for which cases against 22 people have been registered.  

Marathas, a politically influential community that constitutes around 30 per cent of the state's population, have been demanding a 16 per cent reservation. The community had earlier taken out silent marches across the state to highlight their demands, prominent among them being that of reservation.