Maval firing: 'Protesters created riot-like situation'

The Bombay high court on Wednesday said the agitators who were protesting against construction of water pipeline in Maval area had created a riot-like situation, which led to the police firing last August, in which three persons were killed.

The division bench of Justices S A Bobade and Mridula Bhatkar was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations seeking CBI or CID inquiry into the incident.

A mob of villagers from the area gathered on Pune-Mumbai expressway on August 9, to oppose the government's decision to lay a pipeline to supply water from Pavna dam to Pimpri-Chinchwad township near Pune.

Protesters' grievance was that after the construction of pipeline, the local farmers would lose out on water from the existing open canal. But the protest turned violent.

"It is not like that villagers did nothing. It was a riot situation. There is no doubt about that. The only question that needs to be answered is how the police should have handled the situation," Justice Bobade said.

The petitioners have also sought registration of FIR against senior police officer Sandeep Karnik, who was leading the police team, and was allegedly the first one to open fire.

Presently, FIRs have been registered against two junior police officers and six constables.

Senior counsel Ashutosh Kumbhkoni, appearing for Maharashtra government, said local police were investigating the incident, and a progress report had been submitted to the magistrate's court.

Kumbhkoni requested the Court to watch the video footage of the incident, because, according to the government, the police had given sufficient warning to protesters.

Adjourning the matter for two weeks, the court said it would view all the video footage of the incident.