Shiv Sena members assault turncoat who joined BJP

Mumbai: Seven members of the Shiv Sena led by chief minister Eknath Shinde have been booked for allegedly assaulting a former member of their party, who had switched over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), over putting up Gudi Padwa banners in Ashok Van of Dahisar East in the early hours of Sunday

Mumbai: Seven members of the Shiv Sena led by chief minister Eknath Shinde have been booked for allegedly assaulting a former member of their party, who had switched over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), over putting up Gudi Padwa banners in Ashok Van of Dahisar East in the early hours of Sunday.

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According to the complainant identified as Bhibhishan Vaare, he and his colleague Navnath Navadkar had joined the BJP after a dispute with their former party. Vaare said that while he joined the BJP three months ago, Navadkar switched the party three days ago.

As Gudi Padwa was approaching, Vaare had put up banners of Navadkar wishing the people at the junction of Ashok Van after the banners of Shiv Sena leader Prakash Surve had been removed.

“However, after discussions, it was decided that the spot was booked for Surve’s Gudi Padwa banner,” Vaare said. Though the issue was settled by the members of his former party, ward-level leaders like Sunil Mandve, Anil Dagde, Anil Nair and four others assaulted him, he added.

“The Shiv Sena members wanted revenge as I had left the party and joined the BJP due to some differences,” Vaare alleged. “The matter of banner was resolved, but still they tried to kill me,” Vaare said in his complaint.

Pravin Patil, senior police inspector, Dahisar police station, said that Vaare has suffered fractures on his collar bone and other parts of the body. “We have registered a case of assault and criminal intimidation under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code based and launched an investigation into the matter,” Patil said.