Maratha Mahasangh, Sambhaji Brigade burn Laine's effigies

Activists of Maratha Mahasangh today burned an effigy of James Laine protesting against the Supreme court order lifting ban on the American author's controversial book which allegedly contains defamatory references to Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Similar demonstrations were held in neighbouring Pimpri-Chichwad area, police said.

Police have also stepped up security at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute which was ransacked a few years ago by protesters who accused the institute of providing wrong references on Shivaji to the writer.

Meanwhile, Sambhaji Brigade today torched an effigy of the writer at Rajkamal square in Amravati also.

Also, Sambhaji Brigade activists burnt effigies of the Supreme Court and the home minister protesting the lifting of ban on the book.