Police swing into action after HC order, ask Maratha protesters to leave Azad Maidan

The Bombay High Court has expressed displeasure over the situation in South Mumbai and directed Maratha reservation campaigner Manoj Jarange-Patil and his supporters to leave.

MUMBAI: Hours after the Bombay High Court expressed displeasure over the situation in South Mumbai and directed Maratha reservation  campaigner Manoj Jarange-Patil and his supporters to vacate Azad Maidan by 3 pm on Tuesday, the police swung into action.

A strong posse of police personnel from Mumbai, Rapid Action Force and Riot Control Police was seen in and around Azad Maidan, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters, Mahapalika Marg and Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Pravin Munde was seen requesting protesters to move out. "We are following court orders…cooperate with us,” said Munde. He also asked the protesters to move out vehicles from the Azad Maidan, which they had started complying with. The vans and trucks carry food material and water stocks.

Observing the situation as “very serious,” the court also pulled up the Maharashtra government, saying that there had been a lapse on its part in handling the protest.

On the other hand, Jarange-Patil, on Tuesday morning, was issued a notice by the Azad Maidan police to leave the protest site as the undertaking given before the protest was not complied with which included that only 5,000 people will be permitted at the site.

Jarange-Patil, however, said he will leave only when the Marathas get reservation under the OBC quota.

“The notice states that a few rules have been violated. We are going to present before the court whether there has indeed been a violation. He was a little unwell yesterday and the day before. We came here today to know his side…People are cooperating with him. The roads and ground are 95% empty,” his lawyer Ashish Gaikwad said.