New Delhi: Three Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers have been arrested after a video showing them purportedly assaulting a woman in full public view went viral, police said on Friday.The trio had been detained by police a day before over the incident which had taken place on August 28.The woman had taken objection to local MNS workers installing a pole for mounting an advertisement board in front of her shop in the Kamathipura area of central Mumbai, which led to a row, police said.A video showed Vinod Argile, a local office-bearer of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS, and two other party workers slapping, pushing and abusing the middle-aged woman.According to Free Press Journal, the other two men were identified as Raju Argile and Satish Lad. The police also conducted a medical examination on the woman, the report said.“It started with an argument but gradually became physical when the man first slapped the woman. As the argument started heating up, the woman was then pushed down by him, and subsequently, a large crowd started gathering, while also filming the entire act,” a police officer said, according to FPJ.After the video circulated on social media, a first information report (FIR) was registered under Sections 323 (assault), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (act intending to outrage modesty of woman) of the Indian Penal Code at the Nagpada police station on Thursday. The accused were arrested late at night, said an official.Keshav Mulay, a local MNS leader, told news agency ANI, “Viral video depicting Vinod Argyle is not complete, we are not supporting it. MNS respects women but that woman kicked our party’s banner and abused our party workers, which is edited out. Vinod Argyle also has temper issues. We have faith in the judicial system.”Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) slammed the MNS over the incident.It is a very unfortunate and condemnable incident. Party chief Raj Thackeray should clarify his stand over the incident, NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said in a statement.
