MNS leader, workers booked for protest at Mulund toll naka

15 MNS workers and Thane unit chief Avinash Jadhav were arrested in Mumbai for protesting toll charges for private four-wheelers.

Mumbai: 15 Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers along with Thane unit chief Avinash Jadhav were arrested on Monday afternoon for protesting the toll charges levied for private four-wheelers at toll nakas even after MNS chief Raj Thackeray spoke about the issue during a press conference on Monday morning.

Burnt toll operator cabin in Mulund.

An MNS worker, Roshan Wadkar, allegedly poured kerosene inside a toll operator cabin around 4pm and threw a burning tyre to set it ablaze. It was extinguished by local firefighting equipment, and no one was hurt. The police registered a case under section 141(unlawful assembly) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house etc.) of the Indian Penal code.

The police said MNS leader had started gathering after MNS leader Raj Thackeray spoke about the toll issue.

In a similar incident at the Vashi toll junction on Monday MNS workers were sent to monitor and ensure that privately owned four-wheelers are not levied toll charges. When the party workers reached the toll naka, they found that they were still levying toll charges for private four-wheelers and began their agitation by forcibly letting them pass for free. “When the state’s deputy CM has made the statement that private vehicles are exempted from making any payments at the toll nakas, how are the toll operators not abiding with this? We went at 1 pm, yet there was a 3 km long queue. An ambulance was stuck, but the toll operators were busy collecting tax from every vehicle,” Srikant Mane, party worker, said.

This led to an argument between the MNS party workers, toll management, and the police personnel, who asked the workers if they had any circular to prove the implementation of this action. The MNS workers were eventually taken to the Vashi police station and let go with a warning.

“Our protest was peaceful, but if there is no clarity on the statement given by the Deputy CM and if the party chief calls to use forceful means, we will certainly act accordingly,” said Mane.

— with inputs from Rutuja Gaidhani, Vinay Dalvi