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The Maharashtra government on Friday suspended two more police officials in the Maval firing incident. The number of policemen suspended has risen to eight since Tuesday's violence and firing, which claimed the lives of three civilians.
The Opposition parties kept on mounting pressure on the government, both within the Assembly and outside. A 70-member delegation led by Mr Eknath Khadse, Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislature, also met the Governor, Mr K. Sankaranarayanan, and demanded dismissal of the State government for the police brutality at Maval. For the past few months, local farmers of Maval and surrounding areas have been agitating against a Rs 600-crore water pipeline project, which they believe will reduce their access to water, which is used for drinking and agriculture.
The State Home Minister, Mr R.R. Patil told the Legislative Council that the policemen attached to Pune rural police were suspended for damaging the cars which were parked on the Mumbai-Pune highway during the farmers' protest.
NHRC notice
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also issued a notice to the Police Commissioner of Pune and has sought a report within four weeks.
In the last four days, the issue has been affecting the functioning of both the Houses of the State Legislature. No major business was conducted as the Opposition parties kept stalling the proceedings, seeking immediate suspensions of the policemen and termination of the pipeline project.
The Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Ajit Pawar, addressing the media after the completion of the Assembly session said that for constructing the pipeline no large-scale land acquisition was conducted. Only 15 hectares was acquired and the farmers have been handsomely compensated. The farmers' protest is politically motivated and pre-planed by the Opposition parties, Mr Pawar alleged.
Farmers held
PTI adds from Pune: Eight farmers have been arrested for allegedly attacking policemen and damaging property during a protest in Maval near here in which three agriculturists were killed, police said today.
Five of them were apprehended yesterday and three today, they said.
The farmers, all from Kale village in Maval taluka, were charged with attacking police personnel and damaging property on Tuesday.
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