Raj Thackeray?s PSO arrested, gets bail

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Raj Thackeray?s personal security officer (PSO) was arrested by Ponda police today evening for assaulting and threatening a local truck driver at the gun point in broad day light on Monday.

Mohan Salke, a Police Sub Inspector attached to Maharashtra police, was later released on a bail of Rs 5000. Similarly, truck driver Devanand Satarkar and truck owner Rupesh Borkar were also arrested and released on bail.

?He should not have taken law into his own hands just because the truck could not give way to the convoy. He could have properly handled the situation without using physical strength or atleast informed the control room,? North Goa Superintendent of Police Arvind Gawas told reporters.

The incident occurred on Monday afternoon when the four-car convoy was proceeding to Margao from Ponda after Thakrey visited Mangueshi temple.

On reaching the Borim Bridge, the convoy faced a tough time as the truck was allegedly not allowing them to overtake.

After overtaking, the convoy stopped in front of the sand-laden truck and, as per the complaint filed by the truck driver Satarkar, the PSO pulled him out of the truck, assaulted him and took him at the gun point.

PSO Salke also allegedly broke the front windowpane of the truck after which Thackeray?s convoy changed direction towards Ponda.

Little further, truck owner Borkar intercepted the convoy on the Bandora bypass road, Ponda where the same PSO once again whipped out his service revolver and threatened him.

Irked by the action, the villagers burned tyres and blocked traffic on the Ponda-Karwar highway for more than three-hours demanding action against the PSO.

The situation was brought under control after police intervened and registered a case against the unidentified PSO.

The MNS chief and his family are holidaying in Goa from Sunday.

Following the incident and request by Thackeray, Goa police have provided one PSO and an armed police guard at a Calangute resort where MNS chief?s family is holidaying.

The PSO, Borkar and others have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.