Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Jalna police arrested four accused, including Rishikesh Bedre, a close confidante of reservation activist Manoj Jarange, late on Friday night and seized an illegal firearm and two bullets from him.The action comes following an FIR registered for an attempt on the lives of policemen during stone pelting on the policemen on September 1.The arrest also comes days ahead of Jaranges mega-gathering of Maratha community members in Antarwali Sarati village on December 1.Police, citing Bedres criminal antecedents, said he was also named as an accused in the case of vandalism of the Bhandarkar institute following a controversy on James Lanes book on Shivaji Maharaj. However, he was acquitted in this case.The other three men arrested with Bedre have been identified as Shanidev Shirsath, Kailash Survase and Nilesh Rathod.When contacted, Ambad subdivisional police officer Vishal Khambe confirmed the development but refused to elaborate further. Jalnas in-charge superintendent of police Shailesh Balkawade could not be reached for his comments either.Police said Bedre, who hails from Gevrai in Beed district and is the Gevrai taluka president of NCP (Ajit Pawar camp), was arrested from his hometown. According to the police, he is also one of the key accused in the incident of stone pelting at Antarwali Sarati that left about 70 policemen injured on September 1.As per the police records, Bedre has 14 cases, relating to dacoity, rioting, attempt to murder as well as the Atrocities Act and Arms Act registered against him in the three districts — Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Beed.The arrest has not gone down well with Jarange, who said that this arrest is aimed at fizzling out the Maratha reservation movement. However, the government should not forget that it cannot break our spirits, he said. He also termed the arrest a conspiracy by the state government.We also published the following articles recentlyJarange says could take stir to MumbaiMaratha quota activist Manoj Jarange hints at a potential protest in Mumbai if the Maharashtra government does not fulfill the communitys reservation demands by December 24. Jarange expresses high hopes from CM Eknath Shinde and reminds the government of their right to reservation. The Maratha groups are prepared to stage a bigger and more intense protest if their demands are not met. Although they have not made a decision yet, the possibility of going to Mumbai is not ruled out.Jarange says minister from Nashik blocking govt callsQuota activist Manoj Jarange accuses state cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal and OBC leader of blocking the governments decision to grant reservation to the Maratha community under the OBC category. Jarange claims that Bhujbal is mobilizing people and OBC leaders against the Marathas to prevent them from receiving reservation benefits. The leader of opposition, Vijay Wadettiwar, has also distanced himself from the OBC leaders concerned.No hindrance in voting: Rajasthan police clarifies after stone pelting in SikarStone pelting reported in Sikar during polling, but police clarify that voting is not hindered. Heavy police deployment in response. People urged to come out and vote. Scuffle breaks out at polling booth in Sardarshahar assembly constituency. Congress and BJP competing in Rajasthan assembly elections. Congress won 99 seats in 2018.

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