MNS workers arrested for arson of store

Eleven Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party workers were arrested by the Mumbai police on Sunday after they protested in front of Inorbit Mall in Malad against the sale of garments made in Pakistan in the H&M store. Enraged, the workers indulged in arson and set the Pakistani garments ablaze in front of the mall and shut down the H&M store, leaving customers panicked. A case against the MNS party workers has been registered at the Bangur Nagar police station.

The MNS party workers claim that they had protested on this issue earlier as well and had given the store a notice to stop the sale of Pakistani garments. The downed the shutters of the H&M store on Sunday only on finding that no action had been taken in this regard.

According to eyewitnesses, around 2 pm, a group of around 100 MNS men entered the mall chanting anti-Pakistan slogans. "We were shocked to see them downing the shutters and chanting the slogans. We had no idea what was going on. We were afraid of getting injured and reached for the fire exit," said Sampath Iyengar, an eyewitness.

We have booked 11 MNS workers under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rioting, unlawful assembly causing damage to property, and trespassing," said Santosh Bhandare, Senior Police Inspector, Bangur Nagar Police Station.

WHAT IRKED PARTY

• The party men had issued notice against sale of garments made in Pakistan in the H&M store
   
• On finding no action had been taken yet, the party men set the Pakistan-made clothes ablaze