Mumbai Police arrests 11, including scribe, in connection with migrant protest in Bandra; reporter charged with spreading fake info

Mumbai: The police have arrested a total of 11 persons including a journalist in connection with the crowd of migrant labourers which gathered in suburban Bandra on Tuesday, officials said. The police have registered three cases in connection with the incident so far. In the first case, registered against the mob of around 800 to 1,000 persons for unlawful assembly, rioting, violation of prohibitory orders during the lockdown, nine persons were arrested on Wednesday. They were allegedly part of the mob. In a second offence, police arrested Vinay Dubey, a resident of Airoli in neighbouring Navi Mumbai for `promoting disharmony, enmity or feelings of hatred between different groups’. Dubey had allegedly posted a video on Facebook and comments on other social media sites, seeking train services for taking stranded laboures to their home states. In a third case, newschannel journalist Rahul Kulkarni was arrested for `spreading misinformation’ over his report that the government was thinking to start Jan Sadharan train services for migrants, which allegedly led to the crowd gathering in Bandra. Kulkarni and nine others will be produced before a court on Thursday. Dubey has already been remanded in police custody till Tuesday.