Sena activists ransack Outlook office

A group of Shiv Sena activists are protesting an article in the magazine that featured party chief Bal Thackeray in a list of "villains", reports Sanjeev Shivadekar.

A group of unidentified people vandalised the Nariman Point office of Outlook magazine on Tuesday, protesting Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s inclusion in a list of “Villains of India” in the weekly’s special Independence Day issue.

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“A group of vandals barged into our office around 3 pm and smashed glass partitions and doors and damaged computers, shouting slogans,” said Outlook Mumbai bureau chief Smruti Koppikar.

The police have registered a case of rioting against the group.

“Those involved in attacking the office were heard shouting slogans praising Thackeray and the Shiv Sena, so the police are investigating in that direction,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) K.L. Prasad, who visited the magazine’s office.

Sena leaders, however, refused to comment on whether the attackers were party activists.

“If they call our leader villain, Sainiks will obviously get angry. I know they burnt copies (of the magazine) but I don’t know if anybody from our party attacked the office,” said Sena leader Sanjay Raut.

“This intolerant attitude is unacceptable in a democratic set up,” the Editors’ Guild of India said in a press release.