In a shocking incident, at least 40 specially-abled youth, including women, were injured on Monday, when the police resorted to lathicharge to quell the demonstrators staging a protest in front of the State Social Welfare Commissionerate in Pune.

A large of “hearing-impaired and speech-impaired” youth from all over Maharashtra were staging a peaceful demonstration to press their various long-pending demands, including setting up separate schools, colleges and vocational training institutes, for the specially-abled people and creation of jobs, when the police caned them.

After resorting to lathi-charge, the police took the injured persons and dumping them at a local hospital, without taking up the matter with the doctors there to facilitate their treatment. Scores of others were detained at the local police station.

Condemning the lathicharge, NCP MP Supriya Sule demanded the resignation of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who also holds the State home portfolio.

After the lathi-charge, many demonstrators addressed those present in ‘sign language’. The crowds gathered were seen clapping and cheering. Another group organised a candle-light vigil in the vicinity.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil of the Congress also condemned the incident which he described as “inhuman lathi -charge” of the differently-abled youth. “Through this inhumanj act by the police,  we got to see the State Government’s insensitive attitude,” he said.

“Time has come to show the door to the BJP-led government during the elections. We demand a thorough inquiry into the incident. The state government should accept all the demands of the deaf-mute youth,” Vikhe-Patil said.

Later in the evening, Minister of State for Social Justice Dilip Kamble called up the students and urged them to call off their candle-light and hunger agitations.

Instituting an inquiry into the lathi charge, the minister has invited a delegation of five students for talks in Mumbai on Tuesday.