MUMBAI/DELHI: One of the girls held for posting comments on Facebook questioning the shutdown in Mumbai for Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray's funeral today said she will never again visit the social networking site while police arrested 9 Shiv Sainiks for vandalising her uncle's clinic.
Shaheen Dhada and Renu were arrested for posting comments opposing the Mumbai shutdown. However, they were granted bail after they furnished personal bonds, police said.
"So far, we have arrested nine persons in connection with ransacking the clinic of Abdul Dhada. We are looking for some more people," SP Thane rural Ravindra Sengaokar told PTI.
Shaheen said police was polite to her and she had no complaints against any police personnel. "I have apologised for the post," she said adding that whatever happened was unfair.
However, Shaheen said she would never use the social media network henceforth. She had no comments to offer on whether she had done anything wrong. She described Thackeray as a "great guy" whom she "truly respected".
Shaheen had allegedly commented on Facebook that one should not observe bandh for Thackeray's funeral. "We should remember Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev," the post said.
Her friend Renu, who was arrested for 'liking' the post, felt that she was "wrongfully" arrested.
Renu said, "I regret what I did. This should not have happened. I never dreamt that I would be in court. What we did was not a crime. Now I will think twice before posting anything on Facebook."
She further said, "The arrest was not necessary. Police treated us well. I was amazed at what was happening to me."
Their advocate Sudhir Gupta said both were arrested under section 505(2) IPC (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) following a police complaint lodged by a local Sena leader.
Police sources said a FIR has been registered against more than 50 people including some Shiv Sainiks who have been named in the report following the attack.
Also, a probe has been ordered into whether the contents of the Facebook post constituted an offence and even if the offence was registered why were the arrests made, Maharashtra Police's IG (law and order) Deven Bharti said.
Abdul Dhada, whose clinic was ransacked, said, "For our security they have posted the police because what has gone wrong should not happen again...we don't have any complaint against anybody and treatment we received from the police station is absolutely fine".
TOI had reported in its edition dated November 19 that Shiv Sainiks, angered by Shaheen Dhada's post on a social networking site, vandalized a clinic in Palghar owned by her uncle.
On Sunday, Shaheen Dhada (21) posted a comment on her Facebook page questioning the shutdown (following Bal Thackeray's death). Local Shiv Sainiks in Palghar objected and asked her to apologize, which she allegedly refused to initially. Despite her later posting of an apology, a big mob of activists vandalized the Dhada orthopaedic hospital belonging to her uncle Dr Abdul Dhada and manhandled staff and patients.
Under Sainiks' pressure, police detained Shaheen and her friend Rini Srinivasan (21, who had 'liked' Shaheen's comment on FB) late at night and arrested them on Monday morning for "hurting religious sentiments." The charge was later reduced and the two girls granted bail on surety of Rs 15,000 each.
(With PTI inputs)
Facebook post on Thackeray: Girl says she will not visit FB, 9 held for vandalism
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Facebook post on Thackeray: Girl says she will not visit FB, 9 held for vandalism
