MNS Thane unit chief held for assault, rioting

Mumbai: The Thane Nagar police has arrested the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Thane city unit president Avinash Jadhav and four others for allegedly evicting hawkers at Thane station on Saturday. The police had recorded statements of five evicted hawkers and is taking action against MNS workers on the basis of their statements. The police had on Sunday registered two separate cases against MNS activists on the basis of the hawkers’ complaints.  

According to Thane Nagar police officials the accused were identified as MNS Thane city unit president Avinash Jadhav, Mahesh Kadam, Ravindra More, Sandip Salunke and Ravindra Sonar. The accused will be produced in court on Tuesday.  

Naupada police arrested all five accused from their residence and handed them over to Thane Nagar police station. S. Dhumal, crime PI of Naupada police station, said, “We have arrested all five accused under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 427 (causing mischief and damage), 149 (unlawful assembly) and 147 (rioting) of the Indian Penal Code.. We have statements of five hawkers who were allegedly beaten up by these MNS party workers. (The accused) didn’t even intimate the police, or take permission from us.”

The Thane City police has registered two separate cases against MNS party workers in connection with the alleged vandalism against hawkers that took place on Saturday. , sources said.