A joint effort by the Pune City and Rural police ensured that the ‘rasta roko’ protest called by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) against collection of toll in the state turned out to be a flop show, as minimal traffic disruption on the highways and major junctions were experienced by the motorists.


Toll order: After MNS corporator Rupali Patil and her supporters tried to block traffic at Sant Kheteshwar chowk at Katraj, she was taken into custody by Bharti Vidyapeeth police

However, a few incidents of violence were reported after party chief Raj Thackeray's arrest in Mumbai, wherein MNS workers pelted stones at a few PMPML buses. By the end of the day, the police had arrested 124 party leaders and detained 450 workers.

Toll collection at the booths near Manjri remained unaffected despite attempts by MNS workers to protest on the Pune-Solapur Road. Pics/Mohan Patil

NS activists tried to stop vehicles at Sant Kheteshwar chowk in Katraj, but timely police action prevented chaos. Officials from Bharti Vidyapeeth police station arrested MNS Corporators, including Rupali Patil and Vasant More, at Katraj junction.