Hearing-impaired youth protesting in Pune allege police baton charge

Pune, Feb 25: Several deaf youth protesting in Pune against the issuance of disability certificates to ineligible persons were on Monday subjected to a baton charge, organisers alleged, though police claimed it was "mild force" to restrain them.

Over 11,000 hearing-impaired youth had assembled in front of the Social Welfare Commissionerate here in the afternoon when the incident happened, Pradip More, secretary, State Level Association of the Deaf (SLAD), said through an interpreter.

He said their demands included the right to quality education, provision of trained interpreters for deaf students and stopping fraudulent distribution of disability certificates to able-bodied persons.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked for a detailed report on lathicharge by police on protesters who were demanding among other things employment and setting up of govt school/colleges for specially abled people.

Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule termed the police lathi-charge as "shameful" and hit out at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.