Ahead of an event on '200 years of Bhima Koregaon battle' section 144 has been imposed around Koregaon Bhima park in Pune. Newly elected Vadgam MLA, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, attended the event on Sunday to commemorate the victory of 200 years of Battle of Bhima Koregaon in Maharashtra. The Battle of Koregaon was fought on 1 January 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy, at Koregaon Bhima. The 28,000-strong Marathas, led by Peshwa Baji Rao II intended to attack Pune. On their way, they were met by an 800-strong Company force that was on its way to reinforce the British troops in Pune. The Company troops included predominantly Mahar Dalit soldiers belonging to the Bombay Native Infantry, and therefore the Dalit activists regard the battle as a heroic episode in Dalit history.