Mumbai, (The Hindu): Sporadic incidents of vandalism were reported in Mumbai and Palghar on Monday, after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s speech against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Gujarat-oriented’ politics on Sunday. Addressing a rally on Gudi Padwa on Sunday, Mr. Thackeray had accused Mr. Modi of being partial to the Gujarati community.

Palghar Police said a group of five to six men had pelted stones at two shops on the Vasai stretch of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway around midnight on Monday, as the shops had signboards in Gujarati. SP (Palghar) Manjunath Singe said, “An offence of rioting and trespassing is being registered at Waliv police station in this regard and inquiries are on to identify and apprehend the miscreants.”

By Monday morning, several messages saying around 25 stores were vandalised along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway started doing the rounds on social media. Mr. Singe put them down as rumours, saying only two incidents were reported in Palghar district.

The other incident was reported from Kandivali (West) at around 1 p.m. on Monday. DCP (Zone XI) Vikram Deshmane said, “Seven to eight people pelted stones at a snacks centre on MG Road in Kandivali. We have registered an offence at Kandivali police station, and arrested four of the accused, who were identified with the help of locals. The others will be arrested soon.”