Three MNS workers arrested in Mumbai after video showing them thrashing a woman goes viral

Three Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers have been arrested after a video showing them purportedly assaulting a woman in full public view went viral, police said on Friday. The trio had been detained by police a day before over the incident which had taken place on August 28.

The woman had taken objection to local MNS workers installing a pole for mounting an advertisement board in front of her shop in Kamathipura area in central Mumbai which led to a row, police said. A video showed Vinod Argile, a local office-bearer of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS, and two other party workers slapping, pushing and abusing the middle-aged woman.

After the video circulated on social media, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered under IPC sections 323 (assault), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (act intending to outrage modesty of woman) at Nagpada police station on Thursday.

The accused were arrested late at night, said an official. Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) slammed the MNS over the incident. “It is a very unfortunate and condemnable incident. Party chief Raj Thackeray should clarify his stand over the incident,” NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said in a statement.