Pune land acquisition halted, probe ordered into police firing

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has suspended the land acquisition and pipeline laying work in Mawal tehsil of Pune following the violence that took place on Tuesday. State Home Minister RR Patil informed the Assembly on Wednesday that there will be an enquiry of the police firing by a retired high court judge.

The agitation against land acquisition had turned violent on Tuesday in Pune after farmers blocked the Mumbai-Pune expressway. Three protestors were killed in police firing.

The issue was hotly debated in the state Assembly with opposition parties demanding a compensation for the families of those who died in the police firing.

Home Minister R R Patil said that the police resorted to firing on the violent mob only because the situation went out of control. He informed the House that Pune district collector has issued orders to stop the land acquisition and work for laying the pipeline in Mawal.

Pune district police chief Sandeep Karnik said that the situation had returned to normal in Talegaon and surrounding areas. The traffic on Mumbai-Pune expressway as well as the old highway (NH4) was normal on Wednesday. Additional state reserve police force has been deployed to ensure peace.