MUMBAI: The cycle of violence set in motion by activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena continued uninterrupted (Visuals of violence in Mumbai) on Tuesday even as the man who started it all, an apparently unruffled MNS chief Raj Thackeray, attended the wedding reception of police commissioner D N Jadhav’s daughter Kirti in Goregaon.
Raj Thackeray mocked at those demanding his arrest by turning up at the Goregaon wedding reception. Host Jadhav gave a grand welcome to Raj, who was nattily dressed in a suit, and his wife Sharmila. Raj, on Tuesday, reiterated his tirade against north Indian migrants, including actor Amitabh Bachchan (See what Raj Thackeray said).
The brunt of the burden of keeping the law and order situation under control was borne by joint commissioner K L Prasad.
The Oshiwara office of Manoj Tiwari, a popular Bhojpuri actor, was attacked by a mob owing allegiance to the MNS. A few migrants from north India were also beaten up in different parts of the metropolis.
In Nashik, a local MNS activist, Vasant Gite, warned that all trains entering the state from the north would be stopped if north Indian leaders like Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi continued to make "provocative" statements. Azmi had said that lathis would be distributed to migrants from UP and Bihar to defend themselves.
Some vandals also pelted Azmi's showroom at Bandra. He claimed that the police were mute witnesses to the attack.
A group of MNS workers also tried to ransack the office of Sanjay Nirupam, a Congress spokesperson and former Shiv Sainik, who planned to lead a protest march to Raj's house in Shivaji Park.
The police foiled the MNS plan, while taking Nirupam’s supporters into custody. By Tuesday night, the city police had arrested 115 MNS activists and 19 SP workers in all.
The Shivaji Park police on Tuesday also arrested two key MNS functionaries, former MLC Shishir Shinde and MLA Bala Nandgaonkar, in connection with Sunday’s violence against Uttar Bharatiyas. They were later released on bail.
Nandgaonkar was leaving his house in Mazgaon when a police team asked him to accompany them. He was first taken to Matunga police station and subsquently to the Shivaji Park police station. Shinde was picked up from Mulund and put under arrest.
Inside the police station, Nandgaonkar said he would not seek bail and would also resist being taken to court. He said, "The police have arrested me for rioting when I did not resort to violence. I was not even present at any of the scenes of violence."
Shinde then persuaded him to take bail. A huge mob gathered outside the Shivaji Park police station where the duo was being quizzed. It chanted slogans against Nirupam and Azmi. Shinde said, "The police has slapped a charge of criminal conspiracy against me. Are we criminals?" he asked.
Meanwhile, police sealed all roads leading to Raj Thackeray’s house overlooking Shivaji Park. Even his followers were not allowed to visit his house.
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