Protests in Maharashtra against attack on Pawar

Spontaneous demonstrations by NCP workers erupted in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra in protest against the attack on Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in New Delhi today, while a bandh call has been given in Pune.

As the news spread about the assault on Pawar, who was slapped by a man claiming to protest against price rise and corruption, NCP activists took to streets in large numbers to express their anger and denounced the attack on their 71-year-old party president.

Demonstrations on roads here resulted in traffic snarls at several places. Suburban rail services were disrupted for a few minutes after NCP workers came out on the tracks at Masjid Bunder and Kurla stations.

They were quickly dispersed and train services were restored, said Railway Police.

'Rasta roko' were held at various places like Mulund, Easter Express Highway, Vikhroli, Mahim, Byculla and Saath Rasta, police said.

Suspected NCP workers forced shop-owners to down their shutters in Sion, Dadar, Worli, Antop Hill, Shivaji Park and Kandivali areas.

In his native district Pune, party activists staged 'rasta roko' on highways around the city. Similar protests were held in Solapur and Nashik.

Traffic on the busy Pune-Mumbai Expressway was temporarily affected as a result of the protests, police said.

In adjoining Navi Mumbai, the agro produce market was closed in protest. In Baramati, Pawar's native place in Pune district, traders observed spontaneous bandh. Pune Mayor and NCP leader Mohansingh Rajpal has called for a shutdown tomorrow.