A Facebook page purportedly carrying derogatory comments against Shiv Sena and late Bal Thackeray sparked tension in Kalyan on Tuesday night, prompting authorities to deploy scores of riot-control and reserve police personnel.
Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks marched towards the residence of Dhananjay Pathak, who they accuse created the page, at Madhav Sankalp Housing Society in Khadagpada, demanding action against him.
The crowd dispersed only after cops assured of action against Pathak, who could not be immediately traced. Pathak apparently told his wife that he would be turn himself in around midnight and that he never created any page on Sena. Police sources said Pathak's wife said someone had hacked her husband's FB account.
Kalayan Sena leader Vijay Dalvi said he learnt about the offensive remarks midnight on Monday and immediately informed Thane district president Eknath Shinde. The party workers then approached the police.
"We filed complaints at Thane's Waghle Estate police and the Cyber Crime cell of Mumbai police at Bandra Kurla Complex," said Suraj Chavan, a Yuva Sena activist.
While cops were trying to trace the people behind the offensive page, Sena leader Datta Dalvi and Bhau Korgaonkar managed to track a man, who had 'liked' one of the posts, to Dadar. The FB user gave them information about Pathak's residence. Police sources said the two Sena leaders and their supporters allegedly abducted the Dadar resident and brought him to Kalyan. But Korgaonkar denied the allegation. "We didn't abduct anyone. We tried to enter the Kalyan society, but police stopped us," he said.
Sources said the police were concerned about the mood of Sainiks a day before the party's annual rally at Durgadi Fort. Kalyan is Sena's stronghold and hundreds of workers join the rally, which is held on Bakri Id. Cops maintained vigil in Kalyan througout the night.