Land row turns violent in Thane, cross-FIRs filed

Thane: A property dispute in Thane's Bhayanderpada turned violent over the weekend, prompting Kasarvadavali police to register cross-FIRs against two rival groups. The clash left many persons injured. One group alleged that a developer's aides arrived with 80-100 persons and attacked the occupants with iron rods, wooden sticks and stones. The other group claimed it only sought to undertake authorised evacuation and excavation but were threatened and assaulted. The violence took a political turn after a BJP MLA accused a Shiv Sena minister of orchestrating a land grab attempt. —Nishikant Karlikar