PUNE: Maharashtra BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Saturday claimed he was "attacked" by "Shiv Sena gundas" in Pune Municipal Corporation premises when he had gone there in connection with allegations of irregularities in contracts to run jumbo COVID-19 hospitals.
"I am attacked by Shiv Sena Gundas inside the premises of Pune Mahapalika," he tweeted, while BJP Pune president Jagdish Mulik said the former had to be taken to Sancheti Hospital for treatment.
Condemning the attack on Somaiya, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said the former Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai North fell down when he was manhandled.
He said Somaiya was not one to be intimidated by such tactics, adding that the latter had similar experiences when he visited Yavatmal to speak on allegations against Bhavna Gavali as well as Hasan Mushrif (in Kolhapur).
Pune Shiv Sena president Sanjay More, however, said he and party colleagues were going to hand over a memorandum on irregularities taking place in BJP-ruled PMC but Somaiya refused to accept it and tried to speed away in his car.
Sancheti Hospital doctors said Somaiya fell on his back and also hurt his wrist, adding that his condition was stable.
A video of the incident showed Somaiya being surrounded by people and falling on the stairs of the PMC complex before being escorted by security personnel into a car.