Maratha reservation protest: Panchayat Samiti office torched in Jalna

A panchayat samiti office in Maharashtra's Jalna district was set ablaze during the ongoing agitation for Maratha community reservation, as reported by the PTI. Supporters of the reservation, chanting the slogan ''Ek Maratha Lakh Maratha,'' descended upon the panchayat samiti office in Ghansawangi on Monday night, wreaking havoc and eventually setting the building on fire.

Swift police intervention helped extinguish the flames, but significant damage was inflicted on vital documents and furniture in two rooms of the office, according to an official from the Ghansawangi police station.

In a separate incident within Jalna, Maratha youth attempted to block trains at a railway gate in Shelgaon village, located in the Badnapur tehsil, on Monday afternoon. The protesters occupied the railway tracks in an effort to disrupt train services. Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and other railway officials rushed to the scene and engaged with the protesters, explaining the legal consequences of obstructing train services. Following the interaction, the protesters chose to vacate the railway tracks.

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has been steadfast in his indefinite fast at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district since October 25, in support of the reservation demand. On Monday, he appealed to fellow protesters to refrain from resorting to violence and arson.