A group of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists assaulted the manager of PVR cinemas in Pune over exorbitant popcorn prices. The activists belonging to Raj Thackeray-led party had picked up the fight at the PVR Icon multiplex on Thursday, June 28.
The incident came to light when the MNS activists led by Kishore Shinde and Ramesh Pardeshi reached the multiplex with placards and shouting slogans against the exorbitant food prices, reports The Hindu.
"The MNS workers carried placards stating why popcorn was being sold for ₹250 and why vada-pav was being charged at Rs 100. They further beat up the assistant manager, Vinod Mali when he attempted to explain. Based on Mali's complaint, we have lodged an FIR against Shinde and 10 other MNS workers for rioting, physical assault and unlawful assembly under the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," police inspector Dayanand Dhome was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
A video had also surfaced across social media that showed the party activists slapping the manager. Other staff members had even tried to intervene but their efforts went in vain as they were also threatened by the activists.
"Popcorn worth Rs 5 is being sold at Rs 250. The Bombay HC has already said a reduction in price is needed. We told the manager to read news reports, but he said 'don't know how to read Marathi'," ANI quoted MNS leader Kishor Shinde as saying. "Then we dealt with him in the MNS style."
Shinde also added that his party workers will visit other multiplexes in the city to seek answers from the management and also ask them to reduce the prices of the food items sold there.
The MNS assault comes days after Bombay High Court hit out at the Maharashtra government for not regulating the prices of food items in multiplexes.
