Thane Traffic Returns To Normal After Overnight Protests Over Shiv Sena UBT Leader's Murder; Police Security Tightened

Thane: Traffic movement across major arterial roads in Thane—including Manpada, Majiwada, Naupada, Kapurbawdi, Balkum, Ghodbunder Road, and the Nalasopara Road junction has returned to normal following intense overnight protests and severe gridlock.

Visit biznow.biz for more information.

However, security measures across the city have been significantly scaled up, with heavy police presence stationed at strategic locations to prevent any potential regrouping of demonstrators.

Midnight Crisis: Abandoned Vehicles, Pedestrian Exodus, and Trapped Ambulances

The sudden and intense road blockades caused unprecedented chaos, forcing hundreds of commuters into desperate situations as traffic came to an absolute standstill.Emergency services were severely impacted, with multiple ambulances carrying critical patients trapped in the immovable gridlock for hours, struggling to find any clearance along Ghodbunder Road and Majiwada junction. Unable to move for hours, scores of commuters abandoned their cars, auto-rickshaws, and taxis right on the main roads and highway stretches, choosing to walk miles in the middle of the night to reach their homes.Highways and arterial roads turned into pedestrian walkways as hundreds of stranded citizens—including women, senior citizens, and young children—were seen walking along dark roads late into the night.

Voices from Stranded Commuters

Ramesh Deshmukh, an IT Professional stuck near Majiwada:

"I left my office in Airoli around 10:30 PM expecting to reach home in Ghodbunder within 45 minutes. Instead, I was trapped in an immovable sea of vehicles until 4:00 AM. There were families with small children in cars and ambulance sirens blaring in the distance with nowhere to move. It was absolute nightmare-level gridlock."

Sneha Kulkarni, a Daily Commuter trapped on Ghodbunder Road: "Nalasopara Road was blocked since the afternoon, and by late night the entire stretch from Kapurbawdi to Manpada was completely deadlocked. People literally left their auto-rickshaws and cabs in the middle of the road and started walking home on foot. We had no access to water or restrooms, and nobody knew when the road would clear. Whatever the political dispute, thousands of common citizens shouldn't be made hostages on the road."

High-Level Police Deployment Across Strategic Corridors

To ensure law and order is strictly maintained and to prevent renewed blockades, a high-level security apparatus has been deployed across the city.

Forces Deployed: Heavily equipped personnel from the Thane City Police, Riot Control Police (RCP), and the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) have been stationed at all major choke points.

Senior Supervision: Senior police officials, including Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), and local Senior Police Inspectors, are personally supervising field deployments and mobile patrolling units.

Late-Night Clashes and Lathicharge

The severe traffic paralysis stemmed from a Rasta Roko (roadblock) organized by supporters demanding the immediate arrest of former Thane Mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde in connection with the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar.

Late Tuesday night, police units entered the Manpada area to clear the clogged roads. When demonstrators refused to disperse, police executed a lathicharge, resulting in injuries to several protesters. In retaliation, angry crowds pelted stones at security personnel, injuring a few police officers on duty. By early Wednesday morning, all major routes were successfully reopened.

Purnekar Family Continues Sit-In at Naupada Police Station

Despite the clearance of roads, the family of slain leader Pradeep Purnekar continues their sit-in protest inside the Naupada Police Station premises.

Statement from the Purnekar Family: "We have lost the head of our family in cold blood, and even after weeks, the main conspirators behind this crime have not been put behind bars. We will not vacate the police station premises nor move an inch until former Mayor Meenakshi Shinde and Rajendra Shinde are officially arrested. We want justice, not empty assurances."

Shiv Sena Holds Urgent Press Conference at Anand Ashram

In response to the public disruption and escalating political allegations, Shiv Sena leaders convened an urgent press conference early Wednesday morning at Anand Ashram in Thane. The briefing was attended by Member of Parliament Naresh Mhaske, Minister Pratap Sarnaik, MLC Ravindra Phatak, and a large gathering of party workers.

Addressing the media, leaders issued a strong statement regarding the incident:

Maharashtra Minority Commission Questions Three-Year Delay In Waqf Land Records Review, Seeks Accountability

MP Naresh Mhaske (Member of Parliament):

"Whatever transpired yesterday cannot and will not be tolerated. Being a Member of Parliament, I received thousands of frantic calls and messages from citizens who were stranded on the roads for hours. From the very first day, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde personally spoke to the Police Commissioner and instructed that no culprit, regardless of stature, should be spared. Minister Pratap Sarnaik personally visited the victim's family, and Eknath Shinde spoke directly to them over the phone to offer condolences and full support. Out of deep respect for their grief, we remained silent despite continuous allegations. However, the Purnekar family is repeatedly using abusive language against Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena. This press conference serves as our first and last warning—we will not tolerate this going forward.

"The law will take its own course, and police are actively probing every angle. No culprit will escape prosecution. But shutting down an entire city, blockading arterial highways, and causing harassment to lakhs of Thane residents is entirely unacceptable. Political agitation must not come at the cost of public suffering."

Current Situation

While vehicular movement across Thane remains smooth, law enforcement agencies maintain a heightened state of alert with multi-layered police protection deployed across all strategic choke points to ensure continued peace.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/

Read full story at source