Even 'Marathi Manoos' not spared from MNS activists' anger

Pune, Oct 22 (UNI) As violence erupted in different parts of Maharashtra in reaction to MNS chief Raj Thackeray's arrest, even the ''Marathi Manoos'' was not spared from the wrath of the rampaging MNS activists.

Ironically, ''sons of the soil,'' for whom Raj Thackeray's claims to fight, like 22-year-old Sudhir Bhosale suffered head injuries.

Talking to UNI, Bhosale, who is admitted in private hospital, said, ''In this kind of violence, it is the 'Marathi Manoos' who gets hurt the most. Their (MNS) method is wrong.'' At least 130 buses belonging to the local Municipal Corporation were damaged, a few buses were set ablaze and several people were injured in stone-pelting in Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur and Ahmednagar.

Following Raj's arrest, MNS party supporters let loose their wrath on the streets of the city. The worst hit areas of the city in the violence were Kothrud, Chandan Nagar, Aundh and Satara Road, where many people were injured, among whom seven were ''Marathi Manoos''.

Sulindra Londhe, a bus driver of Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamangal Limited (PMPML) and another Maharashtrian victim of the violence, who received injuries on his forehead near his right eye, said ''I was unconscious and people took me to the hospital.'' He had last a lot of blood and got stitches on his forehead. Doctors think there may be a skull fracture and prescribed a MRI scan and X-ray.

Five more PMPML employees, also Maharashtrians, were injured in the stone-pelting incidents.

Pune Joint Commissioner of police Rajendra Sonawande said that Police have detained 205 MNS workers from the city and district so far.

In Satara District, angry MNS activists stoned as many as 25 buses and shops in Satara, Karad and Phaltan. Police Control room informed that around 70 workers were detained there.

Solapur Police commissioner Bhusan Kumar Upadhya said police have arrested 100 MNS workers since yesterday. More than 20 buses were damaged in stone pelting incidents. No fresh incidents were reported in rural areas, district superintendent of police Dnyaneshwar Phadtare said.

According to reports from Ahmednagar, 30 MNS activists were detained for allegedly raising slogans against the state government.

Ahmednagar Control room sources said 11 buses were damaged in stone pelting incidents.

UNI SP SR OBB RR RK1909