Tension in parts of Thane over Facebook post on Babasaheb Ambedkar

THANE: Tension prevailed in few localities in Thane, nearly 35 km away from Mumbai, after Republican Party of India (RPI) activists took to streets over an allegedly defamatory post of Dalit icon Babasaheb Ambedkar today, police said.

RPI workers led by local leaders staged a 'road roko' at Cadbury Junction and also blocked Eastern Express Highway, which connects the city with Mumbai, for over two hours, inconveniencing hundreds of commuters.

Nearly 6 buses of Thane Municipal Transport (TMT), apart from some private vehicles, were damaged after agitators pelted them with stones in the afternoon, Thane police department said in a release.

The protests were intense in localities like Vartak Nagar, Shastri Nagar and Cadbury Junction.

As per the release, shops and establishments in Vartak Nagar downed their shutters in protest against the 'offending' post.

Nearly 50 RPI activists, including local leaders, were taken into custody by police after scores of workers marched on Vartak Nagar and Wagle Estate police stations and squatted there for over three hours demanding action against culprits behind the post.

Police later released them. Other areas in the city remained peaceful though vehicular traffic remained affected as TMT buses were not plying in Vartak Nagar and Wagle Estate areas following the agitation, the release said.

Police today said they registered an offence against unknown persons last night under section 295(a) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of IPC and under section 66 of IT Act in connection with the FB post and its circulation on popular messenger service, Whatsapp on the complaint of one Aniruddha Apte.