In a raid on a dilapidated house, Thane police have seized illegal meat worth Rs 1.6 lakhs and one person has been arrested. Five others managed to flee and are now wanted by the authorities. The seized meat has been sent for analysis and a case has been registered under various laws. Earlier, a similar case was reported in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where a large amount of beef was seized and the driver was booked under relevant laws.
In a major setback to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, influential young leader Dipesh Mhatre from Dombivli has joined the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). Mhatre, who was an office bearer in Yuva Sena, is likely to contest the upcoming assembly elections against PWD minister Ravindra Chavan of the BJP. This move by Mhatre marks the first instance of a revolt in Shinde's home district and could create tension between the Shiv Sena and BJP in Kalyan and Dombivli. Additionally, Mhatre's joining also signals a growing trend of local leaders shifting their political allegiance ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.
A boiler blast at a chemical factory in Maharashtra's Thane district has left eight people dead and over 60 others injured. The explosion, which occurred at Amudan Chemicals, also damaged nearby factories and houses due to the volatile nature of the chemicals being produced. The loud explosion could be heard from a kilometre away and the resulting fire and smoke could be seen from afar. The victims, six men and two women, were unfortunately charred beyond recognition.