Bal Thackeray row scares Shaheen Dhada away from Facebook, forever

One of the girls held for posting comments on 'Facebook' questioning the shutdown in the city for Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray's funeral today said she will never again visit the social networking site while police arrested 9 Shiv Sainiks for vandalising her uncle's clinic.

Shaheen Dhada and Renu were arrested for posting comments opposing the Mumbai shutdown. However, they were granted bail after they furnished personal bonds, police said.

"So far, we have arrested nine persons in connection with ransacking the clinic of Abdul Dhada. We are looking for some more people," SP Thane rural Ravindra Sengaokar said.

Shaheen said police was polite to her and she had no complaints against any police personnel."I have apologised for the post," she said adding that whatever happened was unfair.

However, Shaheen said she would never use the social media network henceforth. She had no comments to offer on whether she had done anything wrong. She described Thackeray as a "great guy" whom she "truly respected".

Shaheen had allegedly commented on Facebook that one should not observe bandh for Thackeray's funeral. "We should remember Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev," the post said.

Her friend Renu, who was arrested for 'liking' the post, felt that she was "wrongfully" arrested.

Renu said, "I regret what I did. This should not have happened. I never dreamt that I would be in court. What we did was not a crime. Now I will think twice before posting anything on Facebook."

She further said, "The arrest was not necessary. Police treated us well. I was amazed at what was happening to me."

Their advocate Sudhir Gupta said both were arrested under section 505(2) IPC (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) following a police complaint lodged by a local Sena leader.

After the comment was posted, a mob of nearly 40 Shiv Sainiks allegedly barged into Dhada's uncle's clinic at Palghar in Thane district on Sunday and vandalised the place.

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