Maval firing carried on Dy Maha CM, Ajith Pawar's Orders?

Lonavala, Aug 11: The Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra Ajit Pawar cried foul as he said that opposition was targetting him in a political conspiracy that the orders to fire on farmers in Maval were given by him.

A judicial inquiry into the matter has been ordered by RR Patil, Home Minister.

Meanwhile, the police said that they had to fire when the villagers became uncontrollable.

“Is this the way the police should have tackled people who were protesting peacefully? We were already winding up the function when they deliberately beat us up and provoked us. The police chased and shot people who were running away, without any warning," said a victim Ganesh Taras, who is in ICU in Talegaon and was hit in the thigh during the firing.

"Ironically, I was shot while helping out a policeman who had fallen down. I was helping him get up when they fired at me. I was shocked; another youth who came to help me was also shot. I don't know what happened to him," said a shocked protester, Ajith Chowdhary, who was shot in his leg.

"Some of us did throw stones at the police. However, the police deliberately provoked us. We were ready to move away from the expressway and wanted the collector to come and give us an assurance. The collector did not bother to come and the police started thrashing us, which resulted in the stone throwing," said Raman Pawar, a farmer.

He further said the police were acting under the orders of Ajith Pawar.

"There is no question that the police fired to kill us and the orders were given by Ajit Pawar, who wants water from the Pawna dam to be given to Pimpri-Chinchwad. They can kill some more of our men but we will not give even a piece of our land or water to them," said the farmer.

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