Pune city police on Friday registered a case against 15 Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) protesters and others for allegedly continuing their agitation near SM Joshi Bridge in Navi Peth despite the cancellation of permission and repeated directions to vacate the site.
The FIR was registered at Vishrambaug police station on charges including unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic, disobedience of police orders and public nuisance. Permission was initially denied for Alka Talkies Chowk, and the protesters were advised to consider alternative locations. The police communicated in writing that the permission had been cancelled. The police also referred to observations made by the Bombay High Court regarding the need to ensure the uninterrupted flow of traffic.
The development comes amid an ongoing standoff over the students’ demands, even after a delegation met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on September 30. Student representatives led by Pramod Patil had sought permission on September 25 to stage a protest over various MPSC-related demands, according to the police. On September 26, the police granted permission for a protest near SM Joshi Bridge on October 2, subject to certain conditions. However, after the delegation met Fadnavis on September 30, the representatives wrote to police commissioner Amitesh Kumar that they were withdrawing their proposed agitation scheduled for October 2. The protesters allegedly gathered at Indulal Complex near SM Joshi Bridge around 4 pm on October 1 and continued their agitation without fresh permission. Deputy commissioner of police Prashant Amritkar also issued prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
They formed an unlawful assembly, obstructed traffic and made provocative statements despite repeated instructions to disperse, according to the police. They said the protesters had been asked to shift to an alternative location if they wished to continue their agitation. “The case has been registered under Sections 189(2), 189(3), 190(3), 126(2), 189(5), 223, 270 and 292 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with other relevant provisions,” deputy commissioner of police Krushikesh Rawle said.
The action follows the police’s decision on Thursday to deny permission for the agitation, which continued despite the cancellation of an earlier authorisation.
