Rioting charges against 107 transport workers for protest at Pawar's home

The Mumbai police have registered an FIR against 107 persons for rioting and conspiracy, following the protest outside Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar's residence, Silver Oak in south Mumbai, on Friday, an official said.

Over a hundred striking workers of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation staged an angry protest, accusing the veteran leader of not doing anything to help them.

The FIR has been registered against 107 persons at Gamdevi police station of South Mumbai; among 23 of the accused are women, the official said.

The accused persons include leaders of state transport employees, workers and others, he said.

The police suspect a larger conspiracy behind the protest and are investigating the role of persons involved in the agitation, the official said.

Meanwhile, state Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray reached Pawar's residence Silver Oak, within 10 minutes of learning about the incident, an NCP office-bearer said.

"He was with Pawar for nearly an hour, after which the senior leader left for his prescheduled engagements," the officebearer said.

There was no confirmation from the Shiv Sena and NCP on Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's phone call to Pawar.

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat condemned the incident.

”The incident outside Pawar's residence is wrong by all means. Irrespective of the party a leader belongs to, such agitations cannot be supported in any way. I strongly condemn the incident,” the BJP leader said.

”MSRTC workers have been protesting for over five months. Their demands and woes should be heard and addressed in a proper way and on a proper platform, is what I expect,” he said.

Congress leader Thorat demanded strict action against persons who instigated the MSRTC employees to stage the angry protest.