Arun Gawli arrested

Gangster Arun Gawli, founder of the newly floated Akhil Bharatiya Sena, was arrested on Tuesday along with two of his accomplices. All three men were charged with the assault on Asian Age journalist Anindita Ramaswamy.

The Agripada police picked up Gawli and two of his associates Raji Philips and Suresh Bhaskar from his home at Dagdi Chawl in south central Bombay.

Ramaswamy was stoned by Gawli's men inside the chawl on Monday when she tried to gather facts for a report on the gangster's political ambitions. Gawli's men were apparently angry that the Age had published a report on Monday, alleging that the gangster had not paid wages to men on his payroll for three months because he needed funds for his political campaign. Gawli organised an impressive rally in Bombay last Thursday, with an estimated turnout of 75,000 people.

Stray incidents of stone throwing were reported in south central Bombay soon after the gangster was arrested. Bus services were disrupted for some time, but the police claimed the situation was swiftly brought to normal.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde -- who handles the home portfolio -- were not aware whether Gawli's name figured in the first information report of the assault on Ramaswamy before his arrest.

Meanwhile, an unprecedented mock funeral procession was taken out in the Maharashtra legislative assembly as Opposition members attempted to stall the day's business, forcing Speaker Datta Nalavade to adjourn the House four times.

As the House reassembled after the first adjourment, Narsayya Adam (CPI-M), Bashir Patel, Nawab Malik (both Samajwadi Party) and others lifted Vithal Naik (CPI-M) on their shoulders as a "dead body" wrapped with cloth banners and carried it to the table of assembly secretary Ramesh Kamble. They claimed the gesture symbolised "the death of a dalit" and the government's inaction to protect him.

75,000 people turn out for Bombay gangster's rally!