Thane traffic chaos: Slain Shiv Sena (UBT) leader’s supporters block Ghodbunder Road, commuters stranded

Hundreds of supporters of slain Shiv Sena UBT leader Pradeep Purnekar blocked Thanersquos busy Ghodbunder Road and burnt tyres during an overnight protest triggering massive traffic congestion and leaving commuters stranded for hours Several people were reportedly forced to walk kilometres to reach their homes as vehicles remained stuck on the arterial routeVideos showing the agitation and long queues of vehicles circulated widely on social media Some users claimed the blockade continued for six to seven hours Traffic movement returned to normal by Wednesday morning police saidProtesters demand arrest of former Thane mayor husbandPurnekarrsquos son Ram Purnekar has demanded the arrest of former Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde in connection with his fatherrsquos murder on September 29The agitation followed Ram Purnekarrsquos detention by police on Tuesday afternoon while he was attempting to march towards the residence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Thane His detention triggered a protest outside Naupada police station where leaders from opposition parties joined supporters to raise the issueLater hundreds of protesters blocked Ghodbunder Road at locations falling under the Kapurbawdi Chitalsar and Kasarvadawali police station areas Protesters also set tyres on fire at several spots disrupting traffic along the busy roadOvernight traffic jam leaves commuters strandedThe blockade caused major inconvenience to commuters travelling between Thane and Mumbai A commuter stuck in the congestion posted on Instagram around 230 am on Wednesday asking when the ldquobandhrdquo would endldquoStuck in traffic for over 2 hours Irsquom just a common man who wakes up at 6 am travels all the way to Goregaon in Mumbai for work and now canrsquot even get back homerdquo he wroteAnother traveller returning from Mumbai airport shared a video on Facebook late Tuesday night showing vehicles at a standstill in both directions He claimed some people had to walk four to five kilometres to reach homeOther social media posts showed protesters burning tyres on and beneath the Manpada bridge bringing vehicular movement to a halt Users also highlighted existing traffic problems on Ghodbunder Road including heavy vehicle movement narrow stretches and inadequate traffic management saying the blockade had further worsened the situationPolice say traffic restored by early WednesdayAn official from the Thane police control room said traffic returned to normal at around 4 am on Wednesday Police were initiating the process of registering cases against those involved in the agitation the official saidThe blockade also highlighted the vulnerability of Ghodbunder Road a crucial route connecting several parts of Thane with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region The disruption affected commuters travelling for work and those returning from the airport late at nightFive suspects arrested in Purnekar murder casePradeep Purnekar the Shiv Sena UBT division chief for the Manpada area was attacked and killed in his office on September 29 by unidentified assailants Police have arrested five suspects in the case and a Special Investigation Team SIT is investigating the murderPolice have cited an old political dispute and rivalry linked to the upcoming Thane civic elections as a possible motive for the attack The allegations against Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde have not been established in courtEarlier on Tuesday police intercepted Ram Purnekar in the Wagle Estate area as he attempted to march towards Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shindersquos residence to stage a protest Videos showed him pleading with officers before he was taken to Naupada police stationldquoI have lost my father sirrdquo he saidHis detention prompted leaders from Shiv Sena UBT the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS the Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar and the Congress to gather at the police station They demanded the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Shinde alleging a rise in crime in ThaneFormer mayor questioned by investigation teamFormer Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde appeared before the AntiExtortion Cell AEC office for questioning on Tuesday in connection with the murder caseldquoI am cooperating fully with the policerdquo she told reportersThe Purnekar family has alleged that investigators are facing political pressure and has demanded the arrest of those they accuse of orchestrating the killing The investigation remains ongoingWith inputs from PTI