Mayor booked as BJP cadres burst crackers on Mundhe's transfer

City Mayor Ranjana Bhansi was Friday booked, a day after BJP workers burst firecrackers outside her residence in celebration of civic chief Tukaram Mundhe's transfer, police said.

Workers of the BJP, which is ruling the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), burst crackers after Mundhe left the civic headquarters following his transfer to the Maharashtra government secretariat in Mumbai on Thursday. It is his third posting in just two years.

Mundhe, known for his uprightness and integrity, has been appointed Joint Secretary (Planning) at Mantralaya (secretariat).

A video of some BJP workers bursting crackers outside the mayor's bungalow 'Ramayan', located in Tilakwadi area in the city, has gone viral on social media.

A citizens' group 'Amhi Nashikkar'(We Nashikites) Friday approached the police seeking action against the BJP workers and mayor for bursting crackers in violation of the court orders. They submitted a written complaint to Sarkarwada police to this effect.

"Based on their complaint, police registered a case against mayor Ranjana Bhansi under IPC section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 286 (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance)," sub inspector of Sarkarwada police station Sarika Pimpre said.

Mundhe had taken charge as Nashik civic commissioner in February this year.

A group of protesters had on Thursday gathered in front of the NMC office under the banner of 'Amhi Nashikkar', hailing Mundhe as an able administrator. According to them, Mundhe had launched a drive against encroachments in Nashik and punished erring civic employees, among other things.

The 2005-batch IAS officer is said to have been transferred nearly a dozen times in the last 13 years.