Bhiwandi: Mob stage protest as religious pictures pulled down

A mob of nearly 200 people were booked for allegedly resorting to road blockade after civic administration took objection to pictures of religious figures put up at the welcome arch of Padma Nagar in Bhiwnadi here, police said today.
The incident took place yesterday when members of Padmashali community, who live in majority in that area, staged rasta roko when pictures of some religious deities and figures were removed, a police official said.
Padma Nagar corporator Murli Maccha was permitted by Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation to erect a temporary arch at the entrance of the ward with a rider that it should not contain any religious pictures or message, since model code of conduct is in force ahead of the local body elections, the official said.

However, violating the order, the corporator had put pictures of deities and some religious messages, which was pointed out by some people and later it was pulled down.
Soon some 200 people staged an agitation against police action and resorted to rasta roko and also brunt tyres on the streets.
A case has been lodged in this regard under relevant IPC sections in this regard and no arrests have been made so far.
Few people from the mob have been identified, police said.