The Shiv Sena has distanced itself from the damage to Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking buses during its recent agitations.

The party members had protested on February 5, when Rahul Gandhi visited the city and on February 12, when actor Shah Rukh Khan’s movie My Name is Khan was scheduled for release.

On Tuesday, as the BEST committee discussed the damage caused by the stone throwing incidents, Sena members said their partymen were not involved.

Sena member Sanjay Potnis said the Sena workers had only displayed black flags and they could not be blamed for pelting stones.

On February 12, stone throwing took place in connection with the release of the Shah rukh Khan’s movie ‘My Name is Khan’ at Adarsh Nagar in Lokhandwala Complex, Bhagat Singh Nagar at Goregaon, Kalachowkie, Millat Nagar, Lalbaug, Parel, Worli Naka, Four Bungalows in Andheri and Dharavi.

The BEST incurred a loss of Rs 1.37 lakh that involved in injuries to 5 bus drivers, 7 passengers and a bus conductor. Another stone throwing incident was reported on February at Postal colony near Eastern Express Highway
(EEH) on bus number 350. Thereafter similar reports were noted at Amar Mahal and Laxmi Nagar in Ghatkopar.

“The Shiv Sena was responsible for stone throwing as they were protesting,” said Ravi Raja from Congress and member of BEST Committee. The buses incurred losses of Rs 44,371, with damages to 22 windows and windscreens of 14 buses.. The bus driver and a passenger were also injured.