Vidarbha state activists protest rising inflation

Nagpur: Traffic in Ganeshpeth area came to a standstill on Monday as Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti (VRAS) activists blocked buses and traffic during a ‘rasta roko' protest staged to highlight spiralling inflation and rising crime. The protest brought traffic movement on one of the city's busiest roads to a grinding halt. Later, police detained 17 protesters after dramatic scuffles.The agitation began around noon outside Ganeshpeth Bus Stand, where protesters carrying Vidarbha flags gathered amid loud chants of "Jai Vidarbha". The protesters alleged that soaring fuel prices, rising LPG cylinder rates and increasing costs of essential commodities have pushed common citizens into severe distress.Within minutes, activists occupied the main road and stopped several govt and private buses, bringing vehicular movement on the crucial stretch to a complete halt. Soon, long queues of vehicles piled up on both sides.Citing NCRB data, protesters claimed the city's rising crime graph reflected the administration's failure to ensure public safety. "We are protesting because inflation has become unbearable and crime is rising unchecked. Govt has completely failed the common people," said VRAS youth wing regional president Mukesh Masurkar while addressing the gathering.Protesters demanded rollback of fuel price hikes and stronger action against criminal activities in the city. Several activists accused the administration of ignoring repeated public concerns over violent crimes and deteriorating safety conditions in Nagpur.As the blockade intensified, police moved in to clear the road after protesters refused to disperse despite repeated warnings. The situation quickly turned tense, with brief scuffles breaking out as activists resisted detention. Police later detained 17 protesters, including Masurkar, city president Naresh Nimje and women's wing president Jyotitai Khandekar, and shifted them to Ganeshpeth police station.Before being detained, Masurkar demanded that the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis relinquish the home portfolio over the worsening crime situation in Nagpur. The VRAS warned that a more intense agitation would be launched in the coming days if the govt failed to address inflation and law and order concerns.