Because we are different.

Facebook row: Sena bandh in Palghar

28 November 2012

Press Trust of India

THANE, 28 NOV: A bandh was today observed in Palghar town in adjoining Thane district following a call by Shiv Sena against suspension of two senior police officers in connection with the arrest of two girls over a Facebook post, criticising shutdown during Bal Thackeray's funeral.

Commercial establishments, schools and colleges at Palghar remained shut and there was no vehicular traffic in the town, party sources said.

No untoward incident was reported so far, police said.

The Palghar Bar Association had also called for a bandh in the courts today to protest the transfer of the local Judicial Magistrate First Class (JFMC) who had “promptly” granted bail to the two girls.

The girls Shaheen Dhada and Rinu Shrinivasan, both 21, were arrested after Dhada had lamented in a Facebook post the 18 November shutdown due to Thackeray's funeral. Shrinivasan had 'liked' the post.

Though Dhada didn't name Thackeray, the local Sena leader complained against the girls and police arrested the duo on 19 November, sparking an outrage.

On 20 November, police arrested the vandals who had damaged Shaheen's uncle's hospital on 18 November, despite her removing the post and apologising that day itself. Maharashtra government had yesterday suspended the two police officers, SP (Thane rural) Ravindra Sengaonkar and senior police inspector Shrikant Pingle.