Mumbai: 3 vandalise Mahavitaran office over power supply cut; held

The men barged into the office and ransacked it on Wednesday

The Nerul police have arrested three men, suspected to be MNS workers, for vandalising the Mahavitaran office in Nerul over a discontinued electricity connection, around 2.15 pm on Wednesday.

One of the accused, Naresh Kumbhar, who was wearing a scarf with the party's name printed on it, entered the office along with two others and asked the employees why his connection had been discontinued. When the officials told him that he hadn't paid last 10 months' bill, he ransacked the office and broke the windows.

"One of them, who was wearing a scarf with MNS printed on it in Marathi, asked me why his connection had been discontinued. When technician Rohit Koli checked the records, he found Kumbhar hadn't paid R8,810 for the last 10 months, but since he recently paid half the amount, we told him that power supply would be restored at the earliest," said Ganesh Nalawande, junior assistant at the office.

He added, "But, Kumbhar didn't listen to us and started ransacking the office with a bamboo stick. Two others who had come with him were video-recording the entire incident. Kumbhar then left the office while abusing everyone." The officials immediately informed the Nerul police.

"An FIR has been registered against the trio under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage), 34 (common intention) of IPC and relevant sections of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984," an officer said. "All the three accused, Kumbhar, Sunny Patil and Mohan Patil have been arrested. They live in Karave Village. They are currently in police custody," said Shyam Shinde, senior inspector of Nerul police station.

Requesting anonimity, a senior MNS member said, "The incident is very unfortunate. Kumbhar was appointed Shakha Pramukh recently. He didn't inform his seniors about this issue nor did he speak to them before taking such an aggressive step."