Pune

The Maharashtra police have been put on a high alert on Wednesday as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's ultimatum for loudspeakers ends.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta said that 2,500 security personnel have been deployed across the city to maintain law and order. He also said that following Supreme Court orders, several mosques did use loudspeakers for the morning Azaan "voluntarily".

Addressing a press conference, Gupta said, "The situation is under control. Many Mosques voluntarily did not use loudspeakers for the morning Azaan following the Supreme Court guidelines. A total of 2,500 security personnel have been deployed across the city to maintain law and order."

According to the Maharashtra Home Department, out of the total of 1,140 Mosques in Mumbai, 135 used loudspeakers before 6 am today.

"Appropriate action should be taken against these 135 mosques that went against the orders of the Supreme Court of India," Maharashtra Home Department said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday had ordered the police to take all measures to maintain law and order and not wait for anyone's order. Uddhav Thackeray also held a telephonic conversation with the Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth.

Earlier on Tuesday, Maharashtra Police registered a case against Raj Thackeray over his speech at a rally held in Aurangabad on May 1.

Police registered the case after seeing the viral videos of his public rally. Following this, heavy police deployment was made outside the MNS chief's Shivaji Park residence.

Undeterred despite being booked by the state police, Raj Thackeray persisted with his anti-loudspeaker campaign, as he shared a video of the Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray on Wednesday in which he is seen speaking against the use of loudspeakers and Muslims offering prayers on the roads.

In the video, shared by Raj Thackeray, Bal Thackeray is heard saying that the Shiv Sena will not rest until it is successful in preventing people from offering namaz on roads when it comes to power in the state.

The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief on April 12 gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.

A case was filed against Raj Thackeray on Tuesday when he appealed to people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers in the areas where loudspeakers are used for Aazan from Wednesday.

He also announced that he will hold more rallies in Marathwada, Vidarbha and other cities as well.

On Tuesday, Mumbai Police seized loudspeakers from the MNS office and detained the party's Chandivali unit chief Mahendra Bhanushali and others on Tuesday.