Mumbai: The fire that was lit in Mumbai over the Maharashtrian-north Indian issue has now spread to other parts of the state.
In Nashik, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers forced shops owned by north Indians to shut down and also beat up a shopkeeper.
“I have a clothes shop. Suddenly some men came on a motorcycle and beat me up,” a shopkeeper Mukeem Sheikh said.
Two state transport buses were also pelted with stones in the city but none was hurt.
Following this incident, a lesser-known organisation called the Marathi Maha Sangh came out in support of the MNS and also started targeting north Indian migrants. However, the police still maintains a brave face.
"We have arrested 26 people till now and they have been charged under criminal Acts. Till Monday night 82 people were detained," Commissioner of Police, Nashik, S N Sayed said.
Pune also witnessed violence on Tuesday. Stones were pelted on five buses and stall owners on the city's Laxmi Road were forced to shut shop. One MNS worker was arrested in the city.
Meanwhile, MNS workers were taken into preventive custody across the state. While the situation is now under control, what is potentially dangerous is that both Nashik and Pune have a substantial north Indian population.
Both cities had been in MNS focus in the last municipal elections. In fact, MNS fared quite well in the Nashik elections.
But it seems the poll agenda is long forgotten by the MNS. And even as Mumbai struggles to remain calm, the tension has already spread beyond its borders. (With inputs from Niranjan Takle and Shilpa Dhamija)
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