Mumbai: All police stations across Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai, have been ordered to remain on high alert after they received information that Shiv Sainiks are attacking offices of the rebel MLAs, who have chosen to join the rebellion, led by urban development minister Eknath Shinde.
To ensure that peace prevails amid the political crisis in the state, police have been asked to remain on alert. The police leadership on Friday, decided to increase its presence outside the residences, and offices of rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, and also, at prominent places in major cities.
“We will do everything that we can to maintain the law and order in the state,” said Kulwant Kumar Sarangal, additional director general of police, law, and order.
In Mumbai, Shiv Sainiks on Friday, gathered outside the office of Sena MLA from Chandivali- Dilip Lande, and raised slogans against him. Some protestors even blackened his photo on the banner.
Another group of Shiv Sainiks gathered outside the office of Mangesh Kudalkar at Nehru Nagar in Kurla East on Friday afternoon, and vandalised his office premises. “Our team immediately reached the spot. We have increased the security,” said Chandrashekhar Babhal, senior police inspector of Nehru Nagar police station.
In Nashik, the Sena workers threw eggs and black ink on the poster of the rebel leader Eknath Shinde. “In Dadar too, Shiv Sainiks blackened the poster of MLA Sada Sarvankar, who joined the Shinde camp on Thursday,” said a police officer from Dadar police station.
“We have increased security outside Matoshree, Raj Bhawan, Vidhan Bhawan, and Mantralaya. We have put all police stations across the city on high alert,” said Mumbai police spokesperson Sanjay Latkar.
The police have also beefed-up security outside Eknath Shinde’s house in Thane, and Devendra Fadnavis’ residence in Nagpur. The move came after Sena leader Sanjay Raut, on Friday, declared that the party workers, loyal to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will come out on the streets, and make it difficult for the rebel MLAs to return back to the city.