A man was allegedly assaulted by residents and later arrested by police in Maharashtra’s Palghar district after reportedly making offensive remarks about the revered Maratha king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, during a heated online exchange. The incident occurred in the Vijay Nagar locality of Nalasopara East and has sparked widespread social media debate, with videos of the assault circulating widely, according to PTI.
The individual, identified as Akshaydeep Bharatkumar Visawadiya, allegedly posted objectionable comments in a WhatsApp group reportedly discussing issues related to Gujarati and Marathi identity. His remarks were deemed disrespectful to Shivaji Maharaj, prompting outrage among group members.
Following the online exchange, a group of residents from the Vijay Nagar housing society confronted Visawadiya. The situation escalated into physical violence before he was handed over to local police, officials said. A police spokesperson noted that the case was sensitive due to the involvement of sentiments linked to a historical figure of great significance in Maharashtra.
An FIR has been registered against Visawadiya under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including:
Section 299: Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings
Section 356(2): Defamation
Section 352: Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace
