Police vehicle set on fire, stones pelted as protests turn violent

Truck drivers in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Rajasthan held violent demonstrations against a provision in the new penal law on hit-and-run road accidents on Tuesday, as they attacked police personnel, resorted to stone pelting, and set ablaze tyres and a police vehicle, prompting security forces to step up vigilance in the affected areas.

In Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, a policeman was injured after he was attacked by a group of protesting truckers in Neerul area, police officials said. Protesters also hurled stones at police personnel on Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway in Mira Bhayandar area, in Thane district, leaving another policeman injured. A police vehicle was also damaged in the stone pelting, the officials said. On the Mumbai Bengaluru Highway, police had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters, the officials said. Overall, 40 protesters were arrested, they added.

Truck drivers also staged protests in Mumbai, Nagpur, Solapur, Dharashiv, Palghar, Nagpur, Beed, Hingoli, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, Gadchiroli and Wardha.