Shiv Sena claims man who defaced Meenatai's statue was relative of Sena (UBT) worker

Mumbai, Sep 18 (PTI) The Shiv Sena on Thursday alleged the person arrested by the police for defacing the statue of Meenatai Thackeray, wife of late Bal Thackeray, was a relative of a Shiv Sena (UBT) worker.

Upendra Pawaskar was arrested on Wednesday evening hours after the statue of Meenatai Thackeray at Shivaji Park in Dadar was found defaced with oil paint. He was remanded in police custody till September 20.

As per police, Pawaskar had been living alone in the Dadar area for many years and was "mentally unsound".

Addressing a news conference, Shiv Sena spokesperson Jyoti Waghmare said, "He is a cousin of Shiv Sena (UBT) worker. Shridhar Pawaskar was working as security guard at Matoshri (the residence of Uddhav Thackeray). The relative did a condemnable deed." "He has also claimed that Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray were interfering in our family property tussle," Waghmare further claimed.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said there are such maniacs (like Pawaskar) across the nation and they do wrong deeds. They vent out their frustration anywhere.

The statue desecration came to light when an onlooker spotted red oil paint on the bust and the pedestal around 6.30 am, triggering tension in the area.

Meenatai Thackeray, who died in 1995, is a widely respected personality in Maharashtra, especially among Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders and workers. PTI PR BNM