The police on Tuesday arrested Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leaders Shirish Shinde, Yashwant Killary and 45 MNS and Samajwadi Party activists on charges of rioting and instigating people against the north Indians in Mumbai.
The police have also detained Congress spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam, who was to lead a morcha to the house of MNS chief Raj Thackeray to protest against his anti-north Indian campaign.
Shinde and Killary, along with MNS sympathiser Bala Nandgaonkar and other MNS activists, were picked up from Matunga in central Mumbai for instigating people and rioting, deputy commissioner of police Sunil Ramanand told PTI.
Nandgaonkar, though still with Shiv Sena, is considered to be very close to MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who split away after differences with Shiv Sena chief and uncle Bal Thackeray to float his own party.
So far, around 100 MNS and Samajwadi Party activists have been arrested for sporadic clashes in various parts of the state on charges of rioting, damage to property, assault and unlawful assembly.
Several migrants from north India, particularly hawkers and taxi drivers, were beaten up during the clashes.
Violence had erupted in the vicinity of Shivaji Park in central Mumbai's Dadar before the commencement of a rally by United National Progressive Alliance chairman and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday.
A war of words on the issue of north Indians in Maharashtra started between MNS chief Raj Thackeray and SP general secretary Amar Singh two days prior to the rally.
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