Political activists in western India vandalized the home of a newspaper editor who criticized a costly government project to honor the warrior king, Shivaji. Seven activists were arrested, police said. Kumar Ketkar and his family were at home when a mob representing a political group allied with the Maharasthra state government threw stones at windows, kicked in a door and threw paint at his home in the state capital Mumbai, said police officer Sanjay Pandit. No family members were injured. Ketkar is the editor of Loksatta newspaper. On Wednesday, Loksatta published an article by Ketkar that criticized a state government proposal to spend 1 billion rupees (US$25 million; §16.16 million) on a monument to the Hindu warrior king Shivaji. He accused the government of using Shivaji's name for political gain. The proposed monument, featuring a statue of Shivaji astride a horse, was to be placed off the coast of Mumbai in the Arabian Sea and at 309 feet (94 meters) tall would rival the Statue of Liberty. The mob that attacked Ketkar's home are members of Shiv Sangram, a political group that is headed by a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party. The party is part of the state's coalition government. Seven workers of the Shiv Sangram group have been arrested for rioting, destruction of property and unlawful conduct, Pandit said. Ketkar could not be reached for comment Thursday, but the attack was condemned by India's news media.
