Pune: Stones thrown as Dalits pay tribute on 200 years of the Bhima Koregaon battle

The pillar commemorates the victory of around 600 British troops, comprising mainly Mahar (Dalit) soldiers, over a 2,000-strong Maratha force under the Peshwas.

Violence marked an event held to commemorate 200 years of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune yesterday. (Photo | ANI Twitter)

MUMBAI/PUNE: Thousands of Dalits paid tributes at the Bhima-Koregaon Victory Pillar near Perne on the Pune-Ahmednagar road on Monday, though minor incidents of stone throwing were reported in the evening, causing tension.

Police, however, said the situation was under control.

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The pillar commemorates the victory of around 600 British troops, comprising mainly Mahar (Dalit) soldiers, over a 2,000-strong Maratha force under the Peshwas that was backed by a larger army of over 28,000 Maratha troops in the battle of Koregaon, which is considered a heroic episode of Dalit history.

“Thousands of Dalits from all across the state paid tributes at the Victory Pillar. Members of Samata Sainik Dal also carried out a parade. But, towards evening, a group of youths carrying saffron flags and with their faces covered, came on bikes shouting slogans Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhavani. Some of them threw stones at people returning from the victory pillar and at the police,” an eyewitness said.