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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Man Arrested For Defacing Meenatai Thackeray Statue With Red Oil Paint At Shivaji Park, Dadar

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Mumbai: The statue of late Meenatai Thackeray, the wife of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, at Shivaji Park was defaced with red oil paint, leading to the arrest of a man on Wednesday evening who was identified through CCTV cameras. The accused has been identified as Upendra Pawaskar, an official said, adding that the suspect is being interrogated.

An FIR has been registered at Shivaji Park police station under BNS section 298 (destroying, damaging, or defiling a place of worship or a sacred object held by a class of people).

The incident occurred around 6.30 am, leaving red stains on the statue and its surroundings, sparking outrage among Shiv Sena (UBT) workers who quickly gathered at the spot and launched a protest. Reacting sharply, UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray slammed the move as “highly condemnable,” warning it could be a ploy to create unrest in Maharashtra.

“Such acts are usually done by stray elements who are ashamed even to take the names of their own parents, or by those trying to replicate attempts to disturb peace as seen in Bihar recently, where PM Narendra Modi’s mother was insulted,” Thackeray said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also denounced the defacement, assuring that police would thoroughly investigate and arrest the culprits. “We will not allow this to be given any political colour. Police will take strict action against whoever is behind this,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that he had personally spoken to the Police Commissioner and Joint Commissioner of Police, instructing them to trace the culprits within 24 hours.

Minister of State for Home and Revenue Yogesh Kadam, from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, also condemned the act. Calling Meenatai Thackeray the “matriarch for all Shiv Sainiks,” he noted that the statue had been installed years ago at the instructions of Bal Thackeray, with his father Ramdas Kadam playing a key role in its erection.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray visited the site and directed police officials to check all CCTV footage in the area.

Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) leader and MP Anil Desai blamed the state government for security lapses. “This is nothing but the failure of the government,” he remarked.

As tempers ran high, Shiv Sena (UBT) workers cleaned the statue and its surroundings. Police have stepped up security in and around Shivaji Park to prevent further tension. Authorities are examining CCTV footage from the locality to identify the culprits.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: One person is unwell after distributing bullets among protesters on Ashura Day, one suspect is in custody, police are investigating.

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Mumbai: Police have taken into custody a suspect who distributed pills to mourners on Ashura Day. What was the matter of distributing pills during the Muharram procession and the substance that was mixed in the medicine is also being investigated. The police have registered a case of poisoning and supply of medicines and further investigation is also underway in this matter. In the initial investigation, the suspect has claimed that he had given the pill for strength. The use of this pill or medicine reduces pain and provides relief. When the shell of this pill was opened, powder was put in it and its shell was also very hard and its texture was also strange. Therefore, suspicion arose about the distribution of this pill and the person was taken into custody. The incident has created a sensation and an inquiry has also been demanded. During yesterday’s procession, the Byculla police caught a suspicious person distributing pills. The person claimed that the pills were to reduce pain. However, one person who used them reportedly developed adverse symptoms of vomiting and discomfort.

Prompt police action prevented further distribution of the pills. The person is out of danger. Based on his complaint, a case has been registered at Byculla PS under Section 123 of the Bharatiya Naya Sanhita, 2023. Investigation is on.

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Maharashtra

Shiv Sena UBT criticises silence on Ram Mandir irregularities and NEET paper leak ‘scam’

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Mumbai, June 27: The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Saturday accused the ruling political leadership and Hindutva outfit ‘Sakal Hindu Samaj’ of maintaining a hypocritical silence over the alleged theft and financial irregularities at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir and the NEET paper leak scandal.

It has questioned why organisations that frequently take to the streets over issues like ‘Love Jihad,’ religious conversions, and cow slaughter have remained completely passive when major irregularities involve individuals within their own ideological fold.

The Thackeray camp in the scathing editorial of party mouthpiece Saamana claimed that The Sakal Hindu Samaj is sleeping like Kumbhakarna.” It taunted, “while a restless Lord Ram and his family have, once again, departed for exile.”

The editorial highlighted recent revelations concerning the “loot” of donations, collection boxes, and silver items at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. It pointed out that while a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed and cases were registered against eight individuals, the main suspects, including Champat Rai and other trustees, were allegedly shielded by the government.

“In Ayodhya, individuals linked to the temple and the BJP bought lands at throwaway prices and later sold them back to the Ram Mandir Trust at inflated rates. AAP MP Sanjay Singh provided evidence to the SIT, but it wasn’t investigated. Now, minor figures like Tinnu Yadav and Anukalp Mishra have been arrested by the UP government,” said the editorial.

Taking a sarcastic swipe at the political ecosystem, the editorial suggested that the ‘Sakal Hindu Samaj’ and top BJP leaders only raise a “loud voice for Hindutva” if a Muslim name is involved.

“Should someone spread a rumour that Tinnu and Mishra are actually Muslims operating under fake Hindu names just to wake up the Sakal Hindu Samaj?” the editorial asked sharply, adding that because the accused are Hindu, these organisations have “closed their eyes and mouths.”

The Thackeray camp expanded its criticism beyond Ayodhya, linking the silence of these pro-Hindutva groups to the massive NEET-UG examination paper leak scandal.

The editorial said that Maharashtra emerged as a major hub for the paper leak, with eight to ten individuals and a coaching class owner arrested. It underscored that these accused individuals possess strong Hindutva and BJP connections, saying that the scam has devastated the lives of thousands of Hindu children, driving some to suicide, yet the ‘Sakal Hindu Samaj’ has failed to hit the streets to protect the interests of these youths.

The editorial further highlighted instances of political compromise and corruption that went unprotested. It claimed that BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari stated that cows older than 14 years could be slaughtered, yet no Hindutva outfits organised protest marches in West Bengal against this stance. It alleged financial mismanagement and “loot” at the holy Mahakal Temple in Ujjain under the BJP-led state government, noting that leaders have remained quiet.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena argued that the Ram Mandir awakened Hindutva and served as the political launchpad for the current leadership, yet the deity’s own temple is now being plundered.

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Crime

Maharashtra: Woman gang-raped in Virar; case registered against three accused

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Virar, June 27: A shocking case of alleged gang-rape involving a 40-year-old woman has come to light in the Dongarpada area of Virar West. Acting on the victim’s complaint, the police have registered a case against two named individuals and one unidentified person and have initiated an investigation.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the incident occurred between 2:46 A.M. and 4:30 A.M. on June 24. The complainant alleged that Tejas, Deepak, and an unidentified accomplice acted in collusion. They allegedly took her to a secluded lane in Dongarpada and forcibly gang-raped her.

Based on the victim’s complaint, an FIR was initially registered against the three accused at the Virar Police Station under Section 70(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). As the incident falls within the jurisdiction of the Bolinj Police Station, the case has been transferred there for further investigation. Police officials are currently conducting a detailed probe into the matter.

In a separate incident reported earlier in September 2025, a 17-year-old girl from Kalyan in Maharashtra’s Thane district was allegedly raped by seven men in their twenties over a period of five months. Officials stated that the abuse began after one of the men befriended her on social media.

The crime surfaced when the victim’s family discovered objectionable videos of her circulating online. All seven accused were arrested and produced before a local court, which remanded them in police custody.

The victim, a college student, first met the primary accused on Instagram in April 2025. Their friendship soon developed into a relationship. He secretly recorded their sexual encounters without her consent and shared the objectionable footage with six of his friends, according to an official from the Mahatma Phule police station.

These six friends belonged to affluent families in the Murbad and Bhiwandi areas of the district. The group started blackmailing the minor, demanding sexual favors and threatening to post the videos on social media platforms if she did not give in to their demands.

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