MNS anti-toll agitation: Raj Thackeray released after being detained

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS chief who was detained at RCF police station for two hours has been released Thackeray told the media that he will meet CM Prithviraj Chavan tomorrow to discuss the issue on toll collectionAfter walking out of the RCF Police Station Raj told the media that he got a call from chief minister Prithviraj Chavan who agreed to meet the MNS chief tomorrow to discuss on the toll abolition issue He said that the protest has been called off for today but the agitation will continue Thackeray also requested his party workers to maintian peaceMumbai Police detain MNS chief Raj ThackerayEarlier in the day MNS chief Raj Thackeray was detained near Chembur while he was on his way to Vashi toll plaza for rasta roko agitation to protest against toll collection in the stateRaj Thackeray arrived at RCF police station at around 11 am in his own vehicle His wife arrived at the station a few minutes laterCrowd gather near RCF Police station where MNS chief Raj Thackeray was detained Pic Anuradha VaranasiThe cops had a hard time controlling the huge crowd that gathered outside the police station to get a better look at Raj Thackeray as he stepped out of his carIn an official statement senior PI Dilip Shivram Yadav said the MNS chief has been detained and not arrested in the police station till further noticeCops barricade Shivaji Park laneMaharashtra Navnirman Sena party workers media crew print photographer and also morning walker gathered outside Raj Thackerays residence at Shivaji Park in Dadar on Wednesday morning to catch the actionPolice barricaded the lane where Raj Thackeray lives and stopped media about 100 metre away from his residence About 500 police and 2 company of SRPF platoon were deployed as over one thousand MNS active workers including corporators shakha adhyaksh and local leader gathered near Rajrsquos residence Deputy commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni was also present at Shivaji ParkMNS workers parked two water tankers on Tilak Bridge to disrupt vehicular traffic Mumbai traffic cops reached the spot and removed the tankers to clear the trafficHeavy police deployment at Chembur where MNS chief Raj Thackeray was detainedHeavy police bandobast at Vashi300 MNS women party workers from Sewri who had come to Vashi toll naka were detained and made to sit inside NMMT buses parked near the toll plazaThe supporters however were not dithered by the police action and said they wonrsquot mind being captive till their chief Raj Thackeray was releasedThe heavy police bandobast ensured that traffic remained unaffected within the satellite cityNearly 500 policemen were deployed between Vashi Naka to Vashi creek As a precautionary measure over 200 MNS workers were detained in Navi mumbai since last nightVashi toll naka Pic Richa PintoNMMT cancelled its 30 airconditioned buses today non ac bus services did not get affectedMeanwhile there were reports of shops being shut in Thane and Chembur after the news of detention of Raj Thackeray spreadMNS workers detained at DahisarThousands of MNS workers were on roads for rasta roko agitation since Wednesday morning The Mumbai police arrested over hundred MNS workers including MLA Pravin Darekar and his other workers who had come to Dahisar toll naka to protest against toll collectionMNS workers disrupt traffic at DahisarMNS workers blocked roads and stopped some vehicles in parts of Dahisar Mahendra Sharma a bus driver who was stopped by few workers near Gokul Anand hotel in Dahisar said MNS worker beat me for not stopping the vehicle They also removed air from the tyre of the bus took the ignition key and threw it awayrdquoPravin patil additional CP said No major damage has been reported as of now but the MNS party workers are stopping vehicles and misbehaving with the peopleEarlier in the day Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan indicated that action against MNS will be taken as per lawDiscarding police notices and warnings Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS launched its statewide road blocks here since Wednesday morning to protest toll collection in the state officials saidMNS activists including representatives of its womens wings stormed roads and highways on the outskirts of Mumbai Thane Pune Raigad Nashik and other areas attempting to halt the morning peak hour trafficThough there are no reports of any violence or damage to public property some people burnt vehicle tyres in an effort to stop traffic near Pune and NashikIn some places vehicle tyres were deflated to stop vehicular movement leading to traffic snarlsPolice accompanied by Rapid Action Force were out in large numbers stopping catching and detaining hundreds of MNS activistsHowever school vehicles and college students were not prevented by the activists and allowed to proceed to their institutions as usual as also ambulances and other essential servicesThe agitation continued even as Mumbai police served notices on nearly 400 MNS officebearers and activists Wednesday asking them to exercise restraintWe have received the notice asking us to refrain from any activity that could result in law and order problems We keep getting such notices everytime we launch any agitation program said a MNS spokespersonPreparing for a defiant MNS the police and the government machinery was geared up to handle the road blocks with security personnel deployed at sensitive locations major roads highways junctions and entryexit points to cities like Mumbai Pune Thane Aurangabad Nagpur and othersSecurity has also been beefed up at the 145 toll collection booths across the stateIn the past few weeks activists purportedly of the MNS vandalized several toll booths in places like Kolhapur Thane Mumbai Aurangabad and Pune The latest round of antitoll agitation started Jan 26 at a Navi Mumbai rally when Raj Thackeray urged people not to pay toll and last Sunday he announced the statewide road blockade programme in PuneThe MNS has made it clear that all toll collections should be stopped for projects where the costs have been recovered and even in others the rates should be rationalizedA grim Home Minister RR Patil warned Tuesday the government would not hesitate to arrest Thackeray to prevent any law and order issues