MNS activists damage IPL team bus in Mumbai, 5 nabbed

Mumbai, March 16 (IANS) Activists of Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena smashed the windows of at least one of the luxury buses parked outside a five-star hotel to ferry players for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, officials said here early on Wednesday.

Moving swiftly, the Colaba Police Station rushed a team there and arrested five persons in connection with the incident.

Taking serious cognizance of the development, the police have beefed up security around the Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, an official said.

Shortly before midnight, around half-a-dozen activists of the MNS-Vahatuk Sena (Transport Wing) sneaked near the bus, pasted posters of their demands on the front of the bus, raised slogans and started smashing the windows.

The police have arrested five senior MNS-VS leaders including Prashant Gandhi, Santosh Jadhav, Bharmu Nandurkar, and they will be produced before a Magistrate Court later on Wednesday.

MNS-VS President Sanjay Naik later said that they were protesting at the manner in which buses from outside the state were hired for the purpose of IPL tourney, depriving the locals of employment opportunities though they can provide similar vehicles as needed.

"Despite our protests, they have allowed several buses and other smaller vehicles here from Delhi and other parts, which is affecting the livelihood of the local Marathi people," Naik told IANS.