Mumbai's Maratha morcha took off yesterday as the city stayed on the edge, with the eastern swathe of the city more affected than other areas. After pre-morcha claims that the protest will be peaceful, violence did take place, throwing life out of gear for some who had stepped out yesterday.

Buses were stoned and stopped plying. Trains were stopped, leaving commuters stranded for a while. The police disrupted various attempts to set fire to tyres and made sure that protesters dispersed. Images of BEST vehicles, smashed and burnt, flooded television screens; a grim portent that the peaceful could take an ugly twist at any time.