25 booked for ransacking local Congress unit office

Mumbai: The Wagle Estate police has booked at least 25 persons, including a local Shiv Sena leader (woman) for ransacking a Congress office premise over a property dispute. The said establishment is allegedly owned by the woman who wants the property cleared as she has switched over to the Sena.

The incident took place Monday when a 25-strong mob headed by Sena worker Sunita Singh barged into the Congress office and fled with furniture and other material kept inside.

Acting on the complaint by Manojkumar Yadav, who holds the said office in ward 15, the police filed a case of theft.

“Mr Yadav stated that the mobsters broke the lock on the shutter of the premise and barged in, fleeing with chairs and other furniture and ransacking it. When he reached the spot, he found the lock broken and the said persons, who were still there, also threatened him and asked him to leave the spot,” said a Thane police
officer.

The group had also changed the lock and blackened the board bearing the Congress’ symbol. The group told Mr Yadav that the office belonged to them and that Mr Yadav should vacate it. Mr Yadav then approached the police and filed a theft case. The officials are now in the process of identifying the accused persons and tracing the stolen furniture.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the property is mired in a dispute, which is a civil matter. Ms Singh allegedly owns the said property and is demanding that it be vacated.

A case has been filed against the 25 persons for theft, trespassing, unlawful assembly, rioting and criminal intimidation.