MNS functionary caught on camera slapping elderly woman, arrested
Three Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were arrested on Thursday after a video showing one of them assaulting a senior citizen went viral.
Three Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were arrested on Thursday after a video showing one of them assaulting a senior citizen went viral.
The incident occurred on August 28 at Kamathipura’s 8th lane when Prakash Devi, a chemist shop owner, objected to a bamboo pole being erected by MNS workers to display a poster welcoming visitors to the local Ganpati mandal.
In the video, party functionary Vinod Argile, who is the upavibhag pramukh or deputy division chief, can be seen slapping the woman and then getting into a heated argument with her even as locals tried to pacify them.
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When Devi asked the workers to remove the pole from there, Argile said “Yeh nahi hatega udharse (this would not go from here)” and then pushed her, causing her to fall. Argile can also be seen pushing the woman twice and manhandling her.
The 60-year-old woman filed a complaint on Wednesday.
“We registered a case against Argile and two others based on the complaint and have arrested them after her medical examination,” Dyaneshwar Chavan, additional commissioner of police (central), said.
The other two accused are Raju Argile and Sandip Laad. The three have been charged under sections 323 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code.
According to Chavan, Devi asked Argile and his associates not to install the poster outside her shop. “The men got abusive and following a heated argument, they slapped and pushed her.”
Argile could not be contacted for his comments. Devi did not respond to phone calls and text messages.
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Speaking to Marathi news channel ABP Majha, Argile, however, claimed that his outburst was prompted by the woman rushing at him aggressively and using expletives. “She rushed at me, and this happened in the heat of the moment... I am willing to apologise for this in public.” He also said that the victim asked them to erect the pole instead at party president Raj Thackeray’s residence.
The accused will be presented before a court on Friday. Police officers said that the chemist shop had been closed for the last few years.
The incident has invited criticism from political parties.
Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Mahesh Tapase called it “unfortunate” and asked the MNS to clarify its position on the issue.
Former Mayor and Shiv Sena leader Kishori Pednekar demanded that Argile be expelled from the MNS.