Thane: MNS activists beat up hawkers over dispute with Marathi-speaking customer

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Activists from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) beat up a group of hawkers after one of them allegedly argued with a Marathi-speaking customer in Maharashtra's Thane district, reported news agency PTI.

A video of the incident, which took place in Kalyan town on Sunday, has surfaced on social media.

Local MNS leaders who spoke to the media claimed that a man purchased an item from a hawker on a skywalk and later returned it citing that it was not proper, reported PTI.

The hawker allegedly argued and verbally abused the Marathi-speaking customer, who approached the local MNS office and complained, they said, reported PTI.

The video shows the MNS activists beating up the hawker and a few other vendors on the skywalk. They are then dragged away accompanied by policemen, reported PTI.

According to the local police, no one has approached them with a complaint so far, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, as the death toll in Nanded Civil hospital rose to 31, Raj Thackeray the chief of MNS party took a jibe at the "three engine" Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra stating that the "health of the state is on ventilator."

Seven more patients, including four children died at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan government medical college and hospital, Nanded where 24 patients, including 12 newborns died within a span of 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday, authorities said.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Thackeray posted on X, "In the last 24 hours, 24 deaths occurred in the government hospital in Nanded. This incident is very unfortunate. A similar incident also took place in Madantari Thane. There is a shortage of medicine in government hospitals in the state. It is known that in Mumbai, due to a shortage of TB medicine, advice is being given to 'provide medicine and use it'. And these incidents are not limited to Nanded, Thane and Mumbai but everywhere."

Taking a pot-shot at the "three engines", referring to BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena-Eknath government in the state, he said, "What is the use of three engines if the health of the state is on a ventilator? As all the three parties of the government have insured themselves adequately, they are not worried at all, but what about Maharashtra?"

Thackeray further said that Maharashtra is sick except for three parties in the government.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that the state government should determine the responsibility.

Ashok Chavan posted on X, "The death toll continues in Nanded. 7 more patients unfortunately died in Government Medical College Hospital since yesterday. 4 children are also included in the dead. The state government should determine the responsibility."

Earlier, Shyamrao Wakode, the Dean of Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital Nanded said that 24 patients, including 12 newborns died between September 30 and October 1, however, he refuted allegations of negligence against the hospital on Tuesday, claiming that deceased patients were suffering from different ailments such as diabetes, liver failure, and kidney failure, reported ANI.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)