Tension in Nashik city following politician's murder

Tension prevailed in the Nashik city Thursday following the stabbing of a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) official over a dispute regarding putting up of banners in the Panchavati area, the police said. Nilesh Ratan Garkal, the MNS functionary, was stabbed by an unknown person around 3.30 p.m. when he was trying to sort out the dispute between two groups in front of the Panchavati College here, Panchavati police station officer Manoj Suryavanshi told IANS based on an eyewitness account. Garkal died soon after being rushed to the civil hospital, Suryavanshi said, adding that the assaulter was accompanied by four others people. MNS leader Vasant Gite told IANS that his party has demanded the arrest of the assaulters within 12 hours. Nashik city is an important MNS stronghold in the state.