Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Centre after petrol prices in Mumbai crossed ₹111 per litre following yet another fuel price hike, the fourth increase in less than two weeks.

Taking a swipe at the soaring rates, Chaturvedi said Mumbai’s petrol prices had now reached the ‘shagun’ figure of Rs 111 and warned that diesel prices in metro cities could soon touch Rs 100 per litre if the current trend continues.

“In Mumbai Petrol price has reached shagun ka 111 number. Diesel reaching 100 in metros in the next price hike… which is likely in the next 24 hours,” Chaturvedi wrote in a post on X.

Her remarks came shortly after state-owned oil companies announced another steep revision in fuel prices amid rising global crude oil rates and escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

Today’s revision saw petrol prices rise by Rs 2.61 per litre and diesel by Rs 2.71, taking the cumulative increase since May 15 to nearly Rs 7.5 per litre. With the latest hike, petrol in Mumbai now costs Rs 111.21 per litre, while diesel has climbed to Rs 97.83 per litre, among the highest retail fuel prices in the country.

The latest fuel surge follows earlier hikes on May 15, May 19 and May 23 after oil companies resumed revisions following a prolonged freeze in retail prices. The repeated hikes are expected to significantly impact Mumbai’s daily commuters, cab and auto-rickshaw drivers, transport operators, delivery services and businesses already struggling with rising operational costs.

Officials have attributed the increases to rising international crude oil prices, disruptions in shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the impact of geopolitical tensions linked to the Iran conflict.

The sharp rise in fuel prices has also intensified political attacks from Opposition parties, who have accused the government of burdening citizens with back-to-back hikes at a time of rising inflation and household expenses.

Mumbai, May 23: In a major crackdown, the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested three alleged criminals who had reportedly arrived in the city to sell illegal foreign-made weapons, officials said on Saturday.

They added that the accused, all from outside Maharashtra, were apprehended during a late-night operation carried out on the basis of specific Intelligence inputs.

According to police officials, credible information was received indicating that certain individuals carrying weapons were on their way to Mumbai.

Acting swiftly on the tip-off, the Crime Branch laid a trap near a public toilet located on P.D. Mello Road close to St. George Hospital.

Around 10:45 P.M. on Friday, the three accused were caught red-handed during the operation.

Police recovered three firearms, magazines and 45 live cartridges from the possession of the accused. Officials said the ammunition and weapons bore the inscription ‘Made in China’.

However, investigators are now trying to determine the actual source and route through which the weapons entered the country, making the origin of the Chinese-marked arms a key aspect of the ongoing probe.

The arrested accused have been identified as 24-year-old Jashanpreet Mangal Singh and 24-year-old Sukhwinder Singh, both residents of Patiala in Punjab, and Arbaz, a resident of Jhalawar in Rajasthan, officials mentioned.

They said all three have serious criminal backgrounds and multiple cases registered against them.

Investigators further revealed that two of the accused had allegedly been absconding since 2022 in connection with a murder case and had been on the radar of law enforcement agencies for a long time. Arbaz alone is stated to have as many as 19 criminal cases registered against him.

According to preliminary investigations, the accused were allegedly planning to supply and sell the weapons to local criminals operating in Mumbai and nearby areas.

Following the arrests, a case under relevant sections of the Arms Act has been registered against them at Mumbai’s M.R.A. Marg Police Station.

Officials said the investigation is now being expanded to uncover the larger network behind the illegal arms supply racket. Police teams are examining all possible links, including whether the accused had any association with the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

The Crime Branch is also trying to establish whether the seized weapons were part of a larger consignment meant for organised criminal groups operating across different states.

Further investigation into the case is currently underway.

Mumbai: Cyber ​​Police has claimed to have registered a case against an X account holder for spreading rumours about demolition work in Mumbai’s Bandra Garib Nagar. According to details, a rumour was spread on an X account yesterday afternoon that there would be riots and violence during the demolition work in Bandra the next day as well. Cyber ​​Bandra has registered a case and started an investigation after the X account holder is accused of spreading hatred and unrest between two communities. The police are investigating the matter further.

Mumbai Police has appealed to citizens not to share any controversial and objectionable content on social media. Action will be taken against those who spread misleading propaganda and baseless rumors on social media. Along with this, the police have also requested to be careful in using social media. The police have asked citizens not to spread unverified information on social media without any verification. If anyone publishes such content or spreads it on social media, action will be taken against him. After this action by Mumbai Police, monitoring has also been started on social media. A rumor was spread on X that the situation in Bandra once again deteriorated after Friday prayers and the police had resorted to lathicharge. The police have taken action on this and a case has been registered on this X account.