Activists of Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena(MNS) smashed the windows of at least one of the luxury buses parked outside a five-star hotel Taj-Mahal palace to ferry players for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, officials said here early on Wednesday. Moving swiftly, the Colaba Police Station rushed a team there and arrested five accused people in connection with the incident.
Taking serious cognizance of the development, the police have beefed up security around the Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, an official said. The police, on Wednesday, added that they have registered an FIR against the offenders for allegedly attacking the parked vehicle. Thankfully, none of the players or members of the Delhi Capitals (DC) were inside.
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Shortly before midnight, around half-a-dozen activists of the MNS-Vahatuk Sena (Transport Wing) sneaked near the bus, pasted posters of their demands on the front of the bus, raised slogans, and started smashing the windows.
Here is the video of the incident:
The police have arrested five senior MNS-VS leaders including Prashant Gandhi, Santosh Jadhav, Bharmu Nandurkar, and they will be presented before a Magistrate Court later on Wednesday. Mumbai Police registered FIR against 5-6 unknown persons under various sections 143,147,149,427 of IPC for obvious reasons. The strangers were involved in unlawful activity in a public place.
#UPDATE | Delhi Capitals IPL team bus vandalization in Mumbai matter: Colaba Police has detained four people, including Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's transport wing vice president Prashant Gandhi. Search for once more accused is underway.
— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2022
MNS-VS President Sanjay Naik later said that they were protesting at the manner in which buses from outside the state were hired for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), depriving the locals of employment opportunities though they can provide similar vehicles as needed.
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Sanjay Naik had said, “Despite our protests, they have allowed several buses and other smaller vehicles here from Delhi and other parts, which is affecting the livelihood of the local Marathi people.”
