The Pune rural police have lodged FIRs against four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena leaders of Maval taluka for the violence that led to the death of three farmers on Tuesday. A worker of Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan has also been booked.
"These five leaders are a part of 1,200 people, including 100 women, against whom FIRs were lodged by the police,'' police officials said, adding that all these leaders are absconding.
The political leaders against whom FIRs have been lodged include Dnyaneshwar Dalvi (BJP's former president in Maval taluka), Sandip Bhutada (BJP' secretary in Maval taluka), Bharat Thakur (Shiv Sena district head) and Bharat More (Shiv Sena's Maval taluka chief). An FIR has also been lodged against Shankar Shelar who is the chairman of Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan.
According to the police, an FIR was also lodged against Eknath Tile, director of Sant Tukaram Sugar Factory in Maval.
The police said 1,200 people have been booked for rioting and criminal conspiracy.
According to the FIR, the agitators were carrying flags of BJP, Shiv Sena and RPI and gathered on the expressway. Later, the huge number of the people led to the stoppage of traffic on the expressway.
The Pune rural SP, Sandeep Karnik, said the incident was pre-planed and goons too participated in the agitation.
"Anti-social elements halted the traffic on the expressway. The provocation like pelting of stones at the policemen and vehicles came from the protestors that forced the police to open fire. We thought that the stir would be a peaceful one,'' Karnik added.
