Several leaders and activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) were detained by the police on Tuesday ahead of a proposed protest rally in Mira Bhayander town of Thane district.
Tensions prevailed in Mira Bhayander as police rounded up protestors who had gathered to participate in the rally proposed by the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has maintained that permission had been granted for the rally, in which MNS leaders planned to participate, but the party insisted on a specific route which posed law and order challenges.
State Minister Pratap Sarnaik, however, has termed the police action as “wrong” and not in line with government directives.
Videos of several MNS activists, including women, packed in police vans have surfaced on social media, but the number of people detained has not been revealed.
Protesters shouted slogans against the government, criticising it for not allowing the morcha.