Bhojpuri singer Manoj Tiwary decides to leave Mumbai, following house ransack

Mumbai, Feb 12 : Popular Bhojpuri singer Manoj Tiwary has decided to leave the city after his home was ransacked by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists, who are leading a campaign on 'Maharashtra for Maharashtrians' and 'throw out the North Indians.'

"We are living in a city where we are open to attacks. Our children are not safe. How long can we stay here with police protection? So we are thinking on these lines (of leaving Mumbai)," said Tiwary, adding: "If they (MNS activists) don't want us to stay in this city, we will think of shifting to some other city."

Tiwari and his family were not harmed, but the MNS activists ordered the singer to meet their party leader Raj Thackeray.

Meanwhile, MNS activists indulged in acts of violence in Nasik today, few hours after the party had announced that their chief Raj Thackeray would not seek anticipatory bail ahead of his impending arrest.

MNS workers destroyed shops owned by North Indians in Nasik. Police detained at least 26 MNS workers.

Earlier, a party spokesman said Raj Thackeray had decided not to seek anticipatory bail.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have beefed up security at Raj Thackeray's residence after a case was registered against him for disturbing harmony in the city.

"The cases have been registered on the basis of certain evidence and arrest is mandatory," the Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), K L Prasad, said.

Mumbai Police had lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against Thackeray on Monday at the Vikroli Police Station. Raj was booked under the non-bailable Section 153A, B and Section 117 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for inciting violence in the city.

Mumbai was rocked by sporadic incidents of violence on February 3 after Raj Thackeray had criticised north Indians in Mumbai.

The MNS has been targeting North Indian migrants living in the metropolis and objected to celebrations like Chhat Puja and Uttar Pradesh Diwas in Maharashtra.

He had also criticised film star Amitabh Bachchan for being regionalist.

English and Hindi language journalists were also criticised for being 'biased' by Raj Thackray at a press conference on Saturday.

ANI