 "Dilip Patil")
As Mumbai Police seemed to have been caught off guard by a protest by MSRTC workers outside NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's house here on Friday afternoon, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said probe will be conducted to find out if any "unknown force" was behind the "attack".
He also said that this "undesirable turn" which the agitation of the striking Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees had taken was not good, and the employees should not have taken law into their hands.
Walse-Patil, notably, belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party which is part of the ruling Shiv Sena-led coalition. After over a hundred protesters reached Pawar's residence 'Silver Oak' in South Mumbai, additional police force was sent to the spot, and most of the protesters were eventually taken away by police. But for some time, unruly scenes prevailed outside the NCP chief's house. This is an unfortunate incident which took place suddenly. It is definitely a matter of concern that such an attack took place suddenly on a senior leader's house," Walse-Patil told reporters. We will definitely find out where the intelligence failure occurred. The Police Commissioner and Joint Police Commissioner (Law and Order) have been instructed and strict action will be taken against whoever is guilty, he said.
A day earlier, MSRTC workers had welcomed the Bombay High Court's order on the prolonged strike, but on Friday there was this attack outside Pawar's residence, the minister said. To me, it appears to be pre-planned, and such an incident will not take place without the backing of unknown forces, Walse-Patil alleged. Legal action will be taken against those responsible for provoking the agitators, he added. Some political parties and forces are trying to create disquiet in the state using the MSRTC workers' strike and other issues....these unknown forces could be behind the incident that took place at Pawar saheb's residence. We will definitely probe that, he said.
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