Two Swabhimani activists arrested for vandalising milk tankers during stir

Pune: Two leaders of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) were arrested by the Pune police on Friday for allegedly vandalising milk tankers during its state-wide agitation from Monday to Thursday, seeking a hike in milk rates and subsidies to milk farmers. The two leaders were granted bail by a district court.

Ravikant Tupkar and Prahlad Ingole, leaders of Swabhimani, were arrested on Friday.

P. M. Lonare, police sub-inspector, Hadapsar police, said, “We arrested both Tupkar and Ingole on Friday morning as they had vandalised milk tankers on Tuesday. The Hadapsar police was protecting the tankers. On the day, they managed to flee. We have booked them under relevant IPC sections for rioting and vandalising.”

The two were produced before the sessions court that granted them bail.

During the strike, called by Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, asking for subsidy for milk farmers, many activists vandalised milk tankers across the state.  However, several Swabhimani activists also vanadalised milk tankers that were given security by the Pune police. Band Garden Police detained another five leaders who were later freed.  While major dairies in Maharashtra did not collect milk, sweet marts in Pune feared an adverse impact.