Carrying Trishuls and sporting saffron sashes, the BD volunteers submitted the memorandum in a charged up atmosphere. They were given audience for more than 45 minutes by Sharma.

The memorandum said BD volunteer Prakash Chanabhai Bhanderi was pasting posters when as many as five policemen from the Varachha Police Station arrested him and took him to the police station. He was severely beaten up in the police station and booked under Section 135 of the Bombay Police Act for carrying a trishul.

The section empowers the police commissioner to issue prohibitory orders banning carrying of weapons, giving inflammatory speeches and shouting slogans, burning effigies, among others. The offender can be jailed or fined.

The memorandum said the weapon is not used for committing any crime and was used for self defence. Bhanderi's arrest was illegal, the memorandum said, demanding that charges against him be dropped and policemen involved in the incident be punished.