Maharashtra drops 348 Koregaon violence cases

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Thursday withdrew 348 of 649 cases filed in the Koregaon Bhima violence. The state also dropped 460 out 548 cases registered during the Maratha quota stir.

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh told the Legislative Council that cases against those who are accused of destroying public property and attacking police officials’ wil not be withdrawan.

The Koregaon Bhima violence happened on January 2 and 3, 2018, in Pune and other parts of the state after Dalits returning after commemorating the Koregaon Bhima battle of 1818 were allegedly beaten up in Pune. The incident led to rioting in Pune and other areas.


The Koregaon Bhima violence is different from the Elgaar Parishad case where several activists have been booked for allegedly planning to kill PM Narendra Modi.

Deshmukh said that ‘only those cases involving minor offences’ are being withdrawn. The minister said that more cases are being reviewed and would be withdrawn depending on the nature of offence.

The move comes after the NCP and several outfits demanded the withdrawal of cases against the Dalits. The state government is also under pressure to withdraw cases against the Marathas registered during the reservation stir. The Maratha community wanted revocation of all cases against the community members.

The Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government has repeatedly said it will withdraw cases lodged during the BJP-Sena government.

On Thursday, Maharashtra minister of state for Home Satej Patil said the state would withdraw the cases against those who protested against the Metro 3 car shed in Aarey and the multi-crore Nanar refinery project in Ratnagiri.