Mumbai: A man was arrested on Wednesday evening for allegedly defacing the statue of late Meenatai Thackeray, wife of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, at Shivaji Park, Dadar, with red oil paint.
The accused, identified as Upendra Pawaskar, was tracked through CCTV footage, police said. An FIR has been registered at Shivaji Park Police Station under BNS section 298 for damaging or defiling a sacred object.
The incident occurred around 6:30 am, leaving red stains on the statue and its surroundings, sparking outrage among Shiv Sena (UBT) workers who launched a protest.
Reacting sharply, UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray condemned the act, warning it could be a ploy to create unrest in Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde also denounced the incident, assuring strict police action.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray visited the site, directing police to examine all CCTV footage. Sena (UBT) leader Anil Desai blamed the state government for security lapses, calling it a “failure of governance.”
Shiv Sena workers later cleaned the statue, while police heightened security in and around Shivaji Park to prevent further tension.
