Tension gripped Nerul on Sunday after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers, led by Amit Thackeray — son of MNS chief Raj Thackeray — allegedly stormed a restricted construction zone and forcibly unveiled a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Nerul police have registered an FIR against Amit Thackeray and around 70 party workers for violating police orders, damaging public property, and obstructing official duties.
According to police, the group has been booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions relating to:
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Assault or use of criminal force on a public servant
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Voluntarily causing hurt to an on-duty officer
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Unlawful assembly and rioting
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Joint liability
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Mischief causing damage to government property
Additional charges under the Maharashtra Police Act have also been invoked.
Those named in the FIR include:
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Amit Thackeray, Chief of Maharashtra Vidyarthi Sena
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Gajanan Kale, MNS President (Navi Mumbai)
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Abhijit Desai, Nerul Unit Chief
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Several other MNS workers
The FIR details were confirmed by Senior Inspector Brahmanand Naikwadi of the Nerul Police Station.
The Incident: MNS Workers Push Through Barricades, Assault Officer
Inspector Naikwadi stated that MNS workers gathered at Sector-1, Nerul, near the Rajiv Gandhi Flyover, where the Shivaji statue had been installed but kept covered as surrounding construction work remained incomplete. Police had deployed a team anticipating an attempt by Amit Thackeray to unveil the statue without authorization.
Despite repeated instructions not to proceed, the MNS group allegedly:
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Pushed through barricades
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Tore down protective netting
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Entered the restricted area
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Assaulted Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh Chavan, who was on duty
“They took out a morcha without permission, gathered unlawfully, assaulted a police officer, and obstructed government work,” Inspector Naikwadi said. “They also damaged the protective net installed by NMMC.”
Eyewitnesses reported that once the workers reached the statue, they tore off the covering cloth and Amit Thackeray personally performed the ritual cleaning of the idol.
Why Amit Thackeray Intervened
Sources present at the site said Amit Thackeray expressed anger over the statue remaining covered for months, alleging that the cloth had gathered dirt and dust. MNS workers have long accused the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) of delaying the official unveiling ceremony despite repeated reminders.
Navi Mumbai MNS President Gajanan Kale told reporters:
“We informed the NMMC several times since February last year. They kept delaying it. It looked like they were waiting for CM Devendra Fadnavis. Leaving the statue covered in a dirty cloth is disrespectful. That’s why Amit Thackeray unveiled it himself.”
Kale also claimed the statue and canopy cost ₹46 lakh.
NMMC’s Response: ‘Unauthorized and Against Protocol’
The NMMC issued a formal statement soon after the incident, clarifying that:
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No permission was granted for the unveiling
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Construction work at the site is still underway
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An official unveiling ceremony was scheduled to be announced soon
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Any unauthorized action is “wrong, unlawful, and harmful from a law and order perspective”
The civic body added that the temporary covering was standard protocol until the site was ready for public dedication.
Background: A Delayed Unveiling Fuels Political Tension
The Shivaji statue in Nerul has been at the centre of political friction for months. While MNS leaders accuse NMMC of bureaucratic neglect and disrespect toward the Shivaji legacy, civic officials maintain that delays were linked to construction and administrative approvals.
Sunday’s incident has now pushed the simmering tensions into a law-and-order confrontation, with broader political implications for Navi Mumbai ahead of municipal and assembly elections.
What Happens Next?
Police are expected to summon those named in the FIR for questioning. Given the political sensitivity and involvement of high-profile party leaders, the matter could escalate both legally and politically in the coming days.
