Mumbai: Thirty Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were arrested between Saturday and Monday in connection with the violence against hawkers outside various railway stations in Mumbai and Thane.
On Saturday, MNS activists gathered outside Kalyan, Dombivli and Thane railway stations and drove away illegal hawkers. A day later, a similar incident was observed outside Santacruz railway station.
Seven MNS party members, including senior leader Akhil Chitre, were arrested by the Vakola police.
“The accused have been charged with assault and causing damage under the Indian Penal Code, along with sections of the Bombay Police Act,” said Mumbai police spokesperson DCP Deepak Deoraj.
The Thane police, too, made several arrests on Sunday and Monday, arresting 11 accused from Kalyan and 12 from Dombivli, including Thane city president Avinash Jadhav.
“Complaints have been filed with the concerned police stations and action is being taken accordingly,” said inspector Sukhada Narkar, Thane Police spokesperson.
The accused wanted for the violence outside the Thane station are yet to be arrested. “We have identified those involved in the ruckus and they will be arrested shortly,” said senior police inspector M.V. Dharmadhikari, Thane Nagar police station.
The MNS, however, stuck to its stand.
“We are doing what the government should have done. We know that our way of taking action is not legally acceptable, but that will not stop us from doing so again. If the government is not able to understand the problem, how are they going to find a solution? Going to jail for a noble cause is a matter of pride for me and my party workers,” said MNS vice-president Rajesh Kadam.
Senior party leader Sandeep Pachange from Thane said, “We are completely empathetic towards the hawkers and understand that it’s their way of earning a livelihood. But putting so many lives at risk for that is not justified. What happened at Elphinshtone Road station was tragic, and we just want to make sure it does not happen again.”