India, July 9 -- Tensions escalated in Mira Road on Tuesday with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) leading a massive protest march on the Marathi language controversy - defying prohibitory orders and ignoring preventive arrests. The rally, which saw at least a thousand political party workers marching from Balaji Circle to Mira Road railway station, from 11:00am to around 1:00pm, was a reaction to the protest by local traders and shopkeepers, after a shop owner was thrashed by MNS workers on June 30, for not speaking Marathi.

Police had denied permission for Tuesday's march as it was to start at Balaji Circle, where Jodhpur Sweets is located. The shop is owned by Babulal Chowdhury, who had been attacked on June 30, and...