250 VHP workers in Maha booked for flashing guns, swords in procession

Around 250 Vishwa Hindu Parishad functionaries were booked for allegedly brandishing air guns and swords during a procession Sunday in Nigdi in Pimpri Chinchwad area, police said.

Among those booked included VHP local president Sharad Inamdar, district president Dhanaji Shinde under relevant sections of the Arms Act and Bombay Police Act, an official said Monday.

“The outfit carried out a ‘shobha yatra’, largely comprising women, in Yamunanagar area on Sunday evening despite permission being denied by the police. We spotted air rifles in the hands of four girls and swords were brandished by five girls,” the Nigdi police station official informed.

“We have taken suo motu case at Bigdi police station. We are yet to verify what kind of air rifles were exhibited during the the procession. They were emanating a huge sound when the trigger was pressed,” he added.

The official said the VHP procession was a violation of the prohibitory orders issued under the Bombay Police Act Act, 1951 for Pimpri Chinchwad police Commissionerate area, effective from May 21 to June 3.

“These orders prohibit carrying of arms, cudgels, swords, spears, bludgeons, guns, knives, sticks or lathis, or any other article, which is capable of being used for causing physical violence,” he said, adding that no arrests had been made so far.