PUNE, 3 December 2005 — After two days of unrest and violence by Republican Party of India (RPI) activists in Solapur, about 260 kilometers east of Pune, the situation is reported to be tense but under control.
Hundreds of activists of the RPI had turned violent on Thursday afternoon, after ailway officials prevented them from boarding trains at Solapur on Tuesday for travel to Bombay without purchasing tickets to attend a function to pay homage on the death anniversary of their leader Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.
The action of the railway officials angered the party activists who went on a rampage pelting stones, damaging 20 vehicles and more than 28 shops at several places in the city.
As a result of the stone pelting, five persons were seriously injured with head injuries.
