Protests following the suspicious death of Bhante Sanghraj Mahathero on Sunday continued to rock the city through Monday, too.
Despite heavy police security in some areas, stray incidents of rioting were reported on Monday
MUMBAI: Protests following the suspicious death of Bhante Sanghraj Mahathero on Sunday continued to rock the city through Monday, too. Incidents of rioting, stone pelting and disrupting railway services were reported from various parts of the city.
For Ganesh Thakkar, 26, a resident of Aurangabad, the timing to visit his ailing uncle in Mumbai could not have been worse. Thakkar, who came to the city on Sunday, was returning to Aurangabad with his younger brother Deepak and two friends on Monday, when protesters at Baiganwadi in Mankhurd started pelting stones at his car.
Thakkar tried to hit the accelerator, but a group of rioters came in front of the car, forcing him to apply the brakes. Thakkar’s car turned turtle, though no one was seriously injured. However, as Thakkar came out of the car, some people from the mob took away his mobile phone, said Deepak.
Thakkar lodged a complaint with the Deonar police. The police said they were investigating his case.
The mob also pelted stones on a BEST bus at Baiganwadi. Deepak said, “The mob was hardly considering the fact that they were damaging public property.”
Cases of molestation of women passing through the area were also reported. However, no one has come forward to register a complaint, the police said.
Meanwhile, the neo-Buddhist dominated areas of the city remained tense even on Monday. Monks and residents, led by Bhante Viratna, the general secretary of Mumbai Pradesh Bhikkhu Sangh, threatened to continue their hunger strike until the culprits were arrested. The Sangh refused to claim the body of the deceased monk after post-mortem at Rajawadi Hospital on Sunday as the doctors could not determine the cause of death. The body was then sent to JJ Hospital for a second post-mortem.
Protesters in these areas tried to block traffic by burning tyres and pelted stones on vehicles and local trains. They shouted slogans against and drove away Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar, who had come to visit the area.
The situation in Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, Ghatkopar, was normal. However, shops in other parts of Ghatkopar and Tilak
Nagar remained closed.
Assistant police inspector MN Mirje of the Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar chowki said, “No incidents of trouble have been reported since Monday morning. The shops are open and life has returned to normal.”
Mobs pelted stones at five BEST buses in Chembur. BEST had to divert its buses in Magathane, Shivaji Nagar, Dindoshi, Mulund and PL Lokhande Marg. A rail roko protest at Chembur station affected the train movement on the harbour line for around 15 minutes.
No untoward instances were reported on Western Railway lines.
(with inputs from Ashwin Aghor, Shweta Karnik)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}