Emeutes de l’électricité à Mumbai juin 2009
Sainiks protesting power tariff hike run riot, 30 hurt
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Mumbai: Shiv Sena’s agitation against Reliance Energy’s hike in power tariff took an ugly turn at Vakola on Monday. Police resorted to lathi-charge even as Shiv Sainiks damaged the company’s office. The Sainiks also set on fire a tempo on the Western Express Highway and blocked the traffic for more than half an hour. At least 30 people including policemen and mediapersons have been injured in the incident.
Shiv Sena MLC Anil Parab led a protest outside the company’s office. A delegation compromising Parab and Vinod Ghosalkar discussed the issue of tariff hike with the company’s officials. While the discussion was on more than 500 Shiv Sainiks waited outside the office.
« The police deployed for the morcha thought that the workers may turn violent. So they started pushing them back and resorted to lathi-charge. Some female workers were beaten up. This made the Sainiks angry and they retaliated, » said Parab.
The police, however, have refuted Parab’s story. Senior inspector A Palande of Vakola police station said, « Initially, we tried to handle the Shiv Sainiks peacefully, but they started pelting stones at us and damaged our vehicle. They gathered on the highway and blocked the traffic. We tried to stop them, but they burnt a tempo there. We restored lathi-charge only after the mob ignored our request. »
Extra forces were summoned from the neighboring police stations and senior police officials rushed to the spot.
Parab claimed that Reliance Energy has accepted their demands. « Reliance has convened to the MERC that they have accepted our demands the will bring down the electricity charges. Second, they have agreed on not taking deposits from the consumers. They also have announced to replace the China-made electricity metres, » he said.
However, sources in Reliance Energy said that none of the Sena’s demands has been accepted since these demands are in the jurisdiction of MERC.
Shiv Sainiks protest against Reliance energy
Monday, June 08th, 2009
Shiv Sainiks blocked the Western Express Highway on Monday for hours to protest against the hike in electricity charges by Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Energy Ltd
MUMBAI: Irate Shiv Sainiks blocked the Western Express Highway on Monday for hours to protest against the hike in electricity charges by Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Energy Ltd.
The protest was carried out in the Santacruz area and the traffic was affected for more than two hours. A truck was also torched during the protest. Police had to resort to lathi charge to quell the mob. Some protestors were also detained. Police also had to burst tear gas shells to disperse the agitators.
The Shiv Sainiks allegedly wanted to storm inside the Reliance Energy office, however, police resisted them. Thousand of vehicles bound for the north, were stuck for several hours even as the police attempted to bring the situation under control. Several office-goers, driving back home had to take alternative routes to reach their respective destinations in the suburbs.
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