One arrested in connection with attack on ashram at Badlapur

Thane: One person has been arrested and a dozen others identified in connection with the attack on an ashram at Badlapur, allegedly by suspended Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) councillor and his men, a senior police official said here today.

Murbad Deputy Superintendent of Police Harishchandra Vhatkar told PTI that police were hunting for the main accused Ashish Damle, NCP councillor from Kilgaon-Badlapur Municipal Council, who also allegedly looted Rs one lakh from the ashram of one Ratnakar Maharaj.

Besides the arrested person, identified as Prashant Jadhav, police have taken a couple of others into custody and are interrogating them, he said adding that they were also examining closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage to identify others involved in the offence.

Two police constables who were on security duty with the suspended NCP councillor have been suspended, the DSP said. In a related development, main accused Damle, who is the youngest councillor of Maharshtra, told a television news channel that he had received numerous complaints about the ashram due to which he went there to enquire on them.

However, when asked why he went to the ashram so late in the night, he abruptly disconnected the phone line, thus snapping the interview.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered an inquiry into the alleged ransacking of the ashram at Ingaon village by a mob led by the NCP councillor.

"I have ordered an inquiry," Fadnavis told PTI. The incident took place on Tuesday night when the mob of around 25 people, allegedly led Damle, attacked Ratnakar Maharaj's ashram and damaged its property. Ashram inmates were manhandled and the mob also looted Rs one lakh, the police had said adding a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered in the case.

The NCP has already expelled Damle from the party for "taking the law into his hands."