MNS Workers Who Assaulted Shopkeeper for Not Speaking Marathi Released Within Hours; Outrage Over Lax Action

Mumbai: In a development sparking widespread outrage, seven members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) who were caught on video violently assaulting a shopkeeper in Mumbai for not speaking in Marathi were released within hours of being detained, according to a report by NDTV.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday evening (July 3), saw the MNS workers not only attacking the victim in broad daylight but also recording and sharing the video of the assault on social media. Despite this self-incriminating evidence, all seven were let go on bail bonds the same evening.

Police stated that the charges pressed against the accused attract a maximum punishment of seven years, making the offence bailable under Indian law. Moreover, the assault was registered as a non-cognisable offence, which legally requires prior magistrate approval for arrests or a full-fledged investigation, further complicating immediate legal action.

One of the accused, identified in the NDTV report, reportedly justified the attack, claiming the shopkeeper had “invited it upon himself.” He appeared unrepentant and made no effort to conceal his identity.

The case took another twist when Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane claimed in an interview that the men had been arrested. However, minutes after the comment aired, it was revealed that the accused had already been released earlier.