Mumbai: Mumbai police on Wednesday detained several MNS workers gathered outside party chief Raj Thackeray's residence here, a day after the latter urged people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers wherever they hear loudspeakers blaring azaan again, officials said.
However, MNS functionaries Sandeep Deshpande and Santosh Dhuri managed to quickly leave from the spot in a vehicle when a police team tried to detain them. A female police constable fell down while taking the action against MNS workers outside Thackeray's home in Shivaji Park area. Deshpande and Dhuri were eventually detained by police later in the day.
The car in which they were travelling had hit a woman policeman and the cop slumped on the ground which led to commotion outside the Shivteerth. In Pune, several MNS workers were detained when they came out of a Hanuman temple after performing 'aarti', the officials said. Heavy police security was deployed in Mumbai in the wake of Thackeray's call for silencing loudspeakers atop mosques.
Police deployment outside Thackeray's residence 'Shivtirth' in the Shivaji Park area was also enhanced and barricades were placed on the road for smooth traffic movement. MNS functionaries Deshpande and Dhuri were earlier served notices under Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) Section 149 (for preventing cognisable offences). After meeting Raj Thackeray on Wednesday, Deshpande came out and was speaking to reporters when a police team came towards him and tried to take him into custody.
