Three MNS workers arrested for assaulting woman who objected to putting up party banner outside shop
An argument began after the woman stopped the MNS workers from erecting the banner welcoming Ganpati in front of her shop near Nagpada in central Mumbai. The video of the incident went viral.
Three Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers have been arrested on Thursday for allegedly assaulting a 57-year-old woman at Nagpada because she allegedly stopped them from putting up a party banner welcoming lord Ganesh outside her shut shop.
The MNS workers are identified as Vinod Argile, Raju Argile and Sandip Lad.
They were on August 28 around 2.30 pm were putting up banners to welcome lord Ganesh when the woman stopped them, saying that they had not sought her permission before putting up the banner in front of her medical shop, which police said has been shut for the last seven to eight years.
The police said the MNS workers got into an argument with the woman and Argile abused and slapped her. He also pushed her, resulting in her falling on the ground.
Initially, the Nagpada police lodged a non cognizable complaint. However, as the video of the incident went viral on social media on Thursday and the news channels picked up the story, an FIR was registered.
Argile and two others were booked under under sections 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of woman), 336 (act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life or the personal safety of others), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation), 323 (causing hurt) and 34 (act done with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 7 (1 a) (molesting a person to prejudice of employment or business) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932.
Asked if the MNS had permission from BMC to put up the banners, a police officer said, “It is part of the investigation.” The police are looking for more people in the case. When contacted, a senior MNS leader refused to comment on the incident. “I am collecting information on the incident,” the leader said.
