Thane saw hours of road blockades, burning tyres and late-night police action on Tuesday after police detained the son of slain Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar.
The day marked 28 days since the killing, and no arrests had been made in the part of the case the family cares most about.
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What Set Off The Protests
Ram Purnekar went to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Thane residence for a single-person sit-in, and police detained him soon after he began.
He had earlier given an ultimatum of 24 hours, saying he would protest outside the residence if former mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde were not arrested.
His detention triggered street protests that disrupted traffic on Ghodbunder Road and the Mumbai-Nashik Highway.
What Happened On The Roads
Protesters reportedly blocked the highway near Manpada and set tyres on fire on and beneath the bridge. Police used force to clear them late at night, which raised tensions further.
Traffic returned to normal on Wednesday morning, after a disruption of nearly seven hours.
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Who Was Pradeep Purnekar
Purnekar was a Shiv Sena (UBT) division chief in Thane. He was murdered on 29 September. Police said about half a dozen rounds were fired, two of which hit him, and that the attackers also assaulted him with a chopper.
Where The Investigation Stands
By 9 October, five people had been arrested, including Santosh Kanojia and Amit Singh, who were held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. A police official said Kanojia and another accused, Shinde, orchestrated the plot and arranged the weapons and the vehicle.
The Indian Express has reported that police are examining whether Purnekar had a fallout with a rival political couple over residents' consent for an old building's redevelopment.
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What The Family Alleges
The family wants Meenakshi and Rajendra Shinde arrested, saying they are the masterminds. The allegations have not been established in court, and the probe is continuing.
The special investigation team summoned Meenakshi Shinde to the Crime Branch office on Tuesday afternoon for questioning. Ram Purnekar said, "We demand an impartial probe and the arrest of every mastermind involved."
What Comes Next
Parties across ideological lines in Thane have announced an all-party demonstration on 31 October. The family has said its agitation will continue until the accused are arrested.
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