Mumbai: Vikhroli police has arrested six Vikhroli-based hawkers who allegedly assaulted a few local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers when the latter were on an anti-unauthorised hawking drive on Sunday.
The hawkers had beaten up MNS’ local members like Vishwajit Dholam, Vinod Shinde and ward chief Upendra Shewale with paver blocks. On Monday, Panvel-based MNS workers started to protest near the station area, and started to demolish hawkers stalls.
Panvel-based MNS worker Nishant Gadge said, “We are protesting against these illegal hawkers who keep installing their stalls at this place creating hurdle to commuters, despite telling them several times. Also (Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay) Nirupam called MNS workers as gundas. We are protesting against him and against what happened on Sunday in Vikhroli.”
On Sunday, hawkers allegedly beat up MNS leaders Dholam, Shinde and Shewale with paver blocks. All were admitted to Mahatma Phule Hospital.
Sources said that Shewale had gone to a shop along with his party workers and asked the shopkeeper to put up his nameplate in Marathi. While the two parties were talking, hawkers in the nearby area gathered around the shop and started beating up all three MNS leaders, sources said.
A few days ago, MNS leader Sushant Malwade was beaten up in Malad. Following continuous attacks, Vikhroli police registered a first information report against 15-20 hawkers. They were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
