MNS workers vandalise Amazon warehouses in Mumbai, Pune

Two incidents of vandalism were reported at Amazon warehouses in Mumbai and Pune on Friday after some MNS workers destroyed properties at the e-commerce giant's facilities. Workers allegedly belonging to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) barged into the Amazon warehouses at Marol in Mumbai's Andheri suburb and Pune city and damaged the company properties, police confirmed.

These MNS workers allegedly targetted Amazon for not including Marathi on its posters and on its app and website. The miscreants vandalised LED TV, glass items, laptops, printers, etc, in an attack at Amazon's Marol facility in Mumbai around 1.45 pm on Friday.  The Sakinaka Police said it is in the process of filing an FIR (First Information Report) against at least eight persons.

The similar incident was reported from Pune, where around ten persons vandalised a warehouse of Amazon in Kondhwa area. The miscreants entered the Amazon office and started smashing windows and other office equipment; the video immediately went viral on social media.

"Following a complaint by one of Amazon's employees, an FIR has been registered against eight to 10 unidentified people who barged into the warehouse, damaged window panes and shouted slogans such as "No Marathi - No Amazon"," said a senior official from Kondhwa police station told PTI.

Amit Jagtap, a local MNS leader who led the group, warned that if Amazon does not listen to their demand, it won't be allowed to do its business in the state. The local police told the news agency that they were registering an FIR in the case.

Meanwhile, the e-commerce company had approached Dindoshi court in Mumbai earlier, after which a notice was issued to MNS chief Raj Thackeray directing him to appear in court on January 5.

Amazon has filed the civil suit against the MNS and its workers' union which had allegedly threatened to block the firm's operations in Mumbai if it did not include Marathi as one of the preferred languages on its mobile application and website.

The court had on December 13, after hearing brief arguments, noted that protection is required to be given to the company and its staff. The court had also restrained the MNS and its activists from obstructing the plaintiff or its employees from working at the e-commerce firm's site or disturbing its business activities.

With inputs from PTI

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