The Mumbai Police has imposed Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the city, which disallows the gathering of five or more persons, reports said on June 25.
The prohibitory order, which was issued amid the escalating tensions between Maharashtra's ruling coalition partner Shiv Sena and its internal rebel group, will remain in force till July 10.
Earlier in the day, the police in neighbouring Thane district, which is a bastion of Shiv Sena's rebel leader Eknath Shinde, imposed Section 144. The order will remain in effect till June 30 in the district, the police said, adding that all kind of political procession, gathering or offensive sloganeering has been banned.
The order also comes in the backdrop of Shiv Sena workers reportedly vandalising the office of party's rebel MLA Tanaji Sawant in Katraj area of Pune.
In Mumbai, a large gathering of Sena workers was witnessed at the party's headquarters earlier today, where Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had arrived to chair the party's national executive meeting.
Thackeray's key aide and Sena MP Sanjay Raut issued a veiled warning to the rebel legislators, suggesting that they would have to face the fury of party workers after returning to Mumbai.
"Outside Maharashtra, you are eagles. But the people's patience is wearing thin. Right now Shiv Sainiks have not come out on the streets. If they do, the streets will be on fire," he said.
Raut's comments came shortly after Shinde, in a letter addressed to Thackeray and Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, claimed that the security has been "illegally withdrawn" from the residences of the rebel Sena MLAs.
"The security provided to us at our residence as well as to our family members as per the protocol has been illegally and unlawfully withdrawn, as an act of revenge. Needless to mention, this sinister move is another attempt to break our resolve and arm twist us to give into the demands of the MVA government comprising the NCP and INC goons,” Shinde said in the letter which has been shared on his Twitter handle.
Reacting to Shinde's claim, Walse-Patil's office issued a clarification, noting that the security has not been withdrawn. "Neither the Chief Minister nor the Home Department has ordered to withdraw the security of any MLA in the state. The allegations made in this regard are completely wrong and misleading," it said.
The rebellion within the Sena ranks came to light on June 21, after more than dozen legislators of the party moved to Surat and went incommunicado. The rebels subsequently shifted to Guwahati, in opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-controlled Assam, and their numbers swelled to more than 36 by June 24.
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