In a demonstration of their demands, members of the Dhangar community staged a “rasta roko” (road block) protest on the Pune-Bangalore Highway, causing a temporary disruption in traffic flow for over an hour. The protest, characterized by traditional attire and the presence of animals, was organized to advocate for reservation rights for the Dhangar community and support an ongoing protest in Chaundi village, Ahmednagar district, which has been ongoing for the past two weeks.
The protestors, dressed in their community’s customary attire, gathered at the Khandala ghat and proceeded to walk several meters onto the highway, effectively blocking the road. Alongside their reservation demand, the protestors presented a list of other grievances.
During the demonstration, traffic on the Pune-Bangalore highway experienced significant delays as vehicles piled up due to the roadblock. However, police officials later engaged with the protestors, ultimately convincing them to disperse and allowing vehicular movement to resume on the highway.
