Thane (Maharashtra): A National Congress Party (NCP) corporator was caught on camera forcibly entering an ashram of a local spiritual leader Ratnakar Maharaj in Badlapur of Thane district and kidnapping a girl.
Two men in police uniform, possibly leader's bodyguards, were also seen with him. Around 20-25 other men, armed with swords and other weapons, also accompanied the leader.
The incident took place on Tuesday night when the mob led by NCP corporator Ashish Damle attacked the ‘Sadhna Bhuvan', an ashram in Badlapur, to kidnap a girl.
Facing resistance from ashram people, they ransacked the ashram, damaged its property and decamped with Rs 1 lakh cash, police said.
A case under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 457 (lurking house-trespass) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and other relevant sections of IPC has been registered in the connection, the officer said.
Investigations are underway and efforts are on to nab the accused, police said.
Damle, who is currently absconding, has a case of robbery registered against him.
Meanwhile, NCP has suspended Damle from the party.
"NCP has expelled the said corporator from the party as nobody has right to take law into their hands," party spokesperson Nawab Malik said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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