25 ABS activists detained

July 16: About 25 activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Sena have been detained under preventive sections of the IPC on the eve of Thursday's mo...

July 16: About 25 activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Sena have been detained under preventive sections of the IPC on the eve of Thursday8217;s morcha of the newly-formed political outfit.

The morcha is likely to be a show of strength by erstwhile underworld don Arun Gawli, whose swelling ranks now include former Shiv Sainiks and BJP activists. The ABS will demand the dismissal of the government for the firing on Dalits and the attack on the houses of the leaders of Opposition on Sunday.

General secretary of the ABS, Jitendra Dabholkar told Express Newsline that about 30,000 people were expected to participate in the morcha, to start from Azad Maidan at noon. Elaborate arrangements have been made by the state including having the SRP and RAF on stand by, along with the city police.

While Dabholkar said the issues to be taken to the Governor, Dr P C Alexander, are the failure of the state government and the alleged harassment of the ABS workers, the incidents of the last weekend will obviously dominate the morcha.

That the Governor is meeting the delegation of the ABS tomorrow evening is itself a matter of pride for Gawli8217;s new party, now the latest headache for the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state.

Gawli and wife Asha, will be facing their first major public event, after having taken on the Shiv Sena in the state.

Though the joint CP Law and Order, Charan Singh Azad said that the permission for the morcha had not yet been given, Dabholkar promised that the morcha would go thorugh the decided8217; route. He said a meeting of police officers of the Agripada police station had been held on Monday, in which the ABS leaders were assured permission for the morcha from Azad Maidan to Kala Ghoda. The organisers had earlier decided to start the morcha from Dagdi Chawl. quot;Crime branch sleuths from all over the state will be here tomorrow to look for the wanted criminals,quot; said Azad. Also, late tonight the police will launch an intensive fine-tooth combing operation to any round-up anti-social element. Arrangements have also been made to use video cameras to identify noted criminals who might participate.