Thackeray FB post: Girls fear for their safety, IT Act under question

Mumbai: The two girls who were arrested and released for their Facebook activity around the Mumbai bandh and over Bal Thackeray's death have apologised but out of fear. Ten people who were arrested for vandalising one of their relative's clinics have now been released on bail. Though politicians have come out in support of the girls and also blamed police for it's high handedness, for the moment, the focus still remains on the misuse of the IT Act.

One of the girls arrested for her Facebook post said, "It was unfair, the arrest was unfair." Hounded by an enraged mob of Shiv Sainiks and arrested for a comment on a social networking site questioning the shut down in Mumbai, the 21-year-old in Palghar told CNN-IBN she is not traumatised and only apologised for she fears for the safety of her family.

The girls were arrested on a complaint by Bhushan Sankhe, a Shiv Sena shakha pramukh. The restive mob outside the police station stopped us from asking him questions. We are told that a mob accompanied by lawyers barged into this police station armed with printouts of the Facebook post and virtually dictated the sections under which the girls should be booked.

One of the girls arrested for her Facebook post said, \"It was unfair, the arrest was unfair.\"

The Palghar police facing all round flak on Tuesday arrested 10 men for vandalising the hospital of the girl's uncle. A move that came more than 24 hours after they ran amok here - cutting saline drips of patients and thrashing medical equipment.

The Shiv Sena justified the attack and the arrests of the two young women. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, "Such people should not live in Maharashtra."

But Mumbai begged to differ. As the outrage grows, the focus once again is on the IT Act that has so often been abused and demand for a change in the laws.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)