MNS rasta roko: Raj Thackeray detained, released, to meet CM on Thursday

Mumbai: MNS chief Raj Thackeray was on Wednesday detained before being released during his party's uncharacteristically peaceful 'Rasta Roko' agitation against toll collection across Maharashtra after receiving an invitation for talks with Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Known for his strong-arm tactics, the MNS boss was detained at Chembur with his supporters when he was proceeding to the Vashi toll plaza in Navi Mumbai to enforce the road blockade agitation, which had sparked fears of violence.

However, in complete departure from its earlier strategy, which saw scores of toll plazas being vandalised and burnt down across the state over the last fortnight, MNS workers took to streets but largely shunned violence.

Unspecified number of MNS workers and supporters were detained in Mumbai suburbs, Pune and Thane but the protesters did not go beyond disrupting traffic, burning and deflating tyres.

Raj, who has been demanding transparency in collection of toll, left his Dadar home with some MLAs and supporters for Vashi but his vehicle was stopped on Eastern Express Highway at Sion, where he was made to sit in a police vehicle which brought him to RCF police station in Chembur. He was under detention at RCF police station for a couple of hours before being let off.

Police had earlier said he was arrested for violation of section 149 of CrPC under which a notice was issued to him on Tuesday warning against participating in the agitation. Section 149 CrPC empowers a police officer to take action to prevent occurrence of a cognizable offence.

"Raj Thackeray was detained for nearly two hours before being let off," Additional Police Commissioner Pravin Salunkhe said. Before walking out of the police station, Thackeray asked his party workers to maintain calm and abjure violence.

"Our intention is not to cause trouble to people but to ensure that the government takes note of our demand. When I was inside (the police station), the Chief Minister called me and asked me to meet him tomorrow at 9 AM at Sahyadri guest house. I will meet the CM and put forward our demands," he said.

Rejecting government's offer for talks, Thackeray had yesterday announced his party will go ahead with the stir, raising fears of violence, despite being served with a notice not to participate in the agitation.

Apprehending a major law and order problem, Maharashtra Police deployed over 1.8 lakh policemen, besides contingents of Rapid Action Force and State Reserve Police at toll booths and on highways. Security was also beefed up at vital installations, including railway stations in the city and suburbs to prevent violence and vandalism.

Raj Thackeray is facing multiple cases for instigating party workers to vandalise toll plazas.

Earlier during the day, in neighbouring Thane district, the anti-toll agitation launched by MNS disrupted traffic to a large extent in several localities with roads being blocked and vehicular movement coming to a halt. On Ghodbunder Road, police arrested a number of persons including city unit President Nileesh Chavan.

Other MNS office bearers like Manohar Sukhdare and Rajan Gawand were also picked up for leading the agitation in other parts of Thane. Police said by and large the agitation was peaceful but soon after Raj's detention, MNS activists forced shops and other commercial establishments to down their shutters and also asked auto rickshaws to go off the roads.

Naupada locality in Thane city and Diva were the worst affected, according to reports reaching the district headquarters. Shops in Kalyan and other parts of the city were also closed, it said.

In Nashik, several MNS activists including MLA Vasant Gite, district president Prakash Dayma, MNS corporator Sujata Dere were detained at several points in the city today when they launched the 'rasta roko' agitation against toll-tax, police said.

Dayma and other activists were detained before they reached at Pimpalgaon-Baswant toll-naka to stage the agitation while corporator Sujata and other women activists were detained on the Mumbai-Agra-national highway.

As per reports reaching headquarters, MNS activists also deflated tyres of vehicles at several points during their agitation and burnt an effigy of PWD minister Chaggan Bhujbal.

Police have deployed rapid action forces at toll-nakas and important points to maintain law and order in the district.

In Pune, after Raj's detention at Chembur, a large number of MNS activists, including women took to streets raising slogans in support of their leader.

Police arrested city MNS chief Anil Shidore for violating prohibitory orders.

Barring noisy protests and stray incidents of stone-pelting, situation in the city remained peaceful, police said.

Meanwhile, MNS MLAs Shishir Shinde, Mangesh Sangle and 40 of their associates were today arrested for two separate cases of rioting in suburban Vikhroli, police said this evening.

A bus was damaged in stone-pelting by two unidentified men in suburban Meghwadi, sources said.