Maharashtra Samajwadi Party chief detained

Mumbai, Feb 3 (UNI) Maharashtra Samajwadi Party chief and MP Abu Asim Azmi and 35 of his party workers were detained tonight by the police for staging a protest at Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's bungalow against the violent attack on some members of North Indian community in the city.

''We had gone to meet the Chief Minister this evening at 2030 hrs to demand the arrest of MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his party workers for attacking some migrant workers in the city today.

However, the Chief Minister's staff refused to entertain us, saying that he was at the bungalow. Later, we saw the Chief Minister moving out of the bungalow with his convoy,'' Mumbai SP spokeperson Abdul Kadir told UNI today from the Azad Maidan Police lock-up.

Mr Kadir also alleged that after the Chief Minister left the bunglaow, a team of police officials came there and took all of them into custody.

However, police officials maintained that Azmi and others were booked for breaching the peace.

UNI IAS/AAA SSS SPHT2330