Police have registered a case against 20 individuals, including office-bearers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), for allegedly assaulting an autorickshaw driver in full public view in Virar over his so-called anti-Marathi remarks and refusal to speak the language.
No arrests have been made so far, a police official said on Monday, adding that 13 of the 20 accused have been identified.
A video, which has since gone vira,l shows the auto driver, Raju Patwa, a native of Uttar Pradesh, being slapped repeatedly by a group, including women, on a busy road near Virar railway station on 12 July.
In the clip, Patwa is seen being forced to apologise to a man and his sister with whom he had allegedly misbehaved earlier, as well as to Maharashtra for “insulting” the state and its linguistic and cultural heritage.
Activists have claimed that Patwa made derogatory comments about the Marathi language, the state of Maharashtra and iconic Marathi figures.
The incident was allegedly triggered by a video clip of Patwa which surfaced on social media, drawing sharp reactions online and outrage from local political groups.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Virar city chief Uday Jadhav, who was present during the incident, told reporters that anyone who insults the Marathi language, Maharashtra or Marathi people will receive a response in what he described as “the true Shiv Sena style”.
Amid the public outcry, police registered an FIR against 20 persons under sections 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 191(2) (rioting), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. Relevant sections of the Maharashtra Police Act have also been invoked.
The FIR was filed by a police officer.
“A group of around 20 individuals unlawfully assembled at the Marjetia Naka rickshaw stand in Virar on 12 July. This gathering violated the prohibitory orders currently in force under directives from the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police commissioner,” the officer said.
He added that the group, allegedly comprising activists and office-bearers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS, forcibly confronted rickshaw driver Raju Patwa.
“They demanded that he speak Marathi, forced him to apologise and then assaulted and threatened him,” he said.
Police said no one has been arrested yet as the roles of each individual named in the FIR are being verified and a thorough investigation is underway.
Follow us
