NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad raises questions on Thane Police after attack on Uddhav Thackeray's convoy

NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad took to social media platform X to criticise Thane Police over the attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray`s convoy. File pic

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) legislator Jitendra Awhad has raised questions on Thane Police after the attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's convoy by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) members in the city on Saturday night. Awhad posted three videos to indicate that the police did not do much to prevent the attack.

"From the following three videos, the mindset of Thane Police will be clear to you. I don't blame the police at all. But officers should act as if they are backbones. The morale of the police is deteriorating owing to the indiscriminate activities of the officers," he wrote on X in a post in Marathi.

MNS workers allegedly threw coconuts and cow dung at Thackeray's convoy when he was leaving the Gadkari Rangayatan on Saturday.

Earlier Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey criticised MNS workers and said, "Now we understand why (MNS chief) Raj Thackeray and his party are called 'suparibaaz.' Uddhav Thackeray's convoy was attacked in Thane. Despite having Z-category security and being the son of Balasaheb Thackeray, if he is not safe in the state, how can they ensure the safety of ordinary people?"

Dubey also criticised the state government and stated, "This attack is a failure of the state government. The law and order situation has completely collapsed, and the home minister should resign."

MNS workers claimed the attack was in retaliation for an incident on Friday afternoon when Raj's car was pelted with betel nuts and tomatoes, ANI reported. Raj, who is the estranged cousin of Uddhav Thackeray, was touring central Maharashtra at the time.

MNS leader Avinash Jadhav said, "Yesterday you all saw how some Shiv Sainiks tried to protest in front of my sahab's convoy. Our MNS workers have given a befitting reply to them. You threw suparis (betel nuts), we attacked you with coconuts. Around 16 to 17 vehicles of Uddhav Thackeray's convoy were broken with coconuts."

Police have confirmed the incident and detained over 20 individuals. A case was also registered in connection with the incident, and, according to a senior officer, Thane Police were probing it further.

Thackeray was in Thane to address his party workers. The Assembly polls are due in Maharashtra in October.