The corporators, from the ruling Shiv Sena as well as Opposition parties, held the officials - Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Headquarters) B R Pokharkar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Sandeep Kalambe and acting DMC Tarunkar Khatri) - captive in Mayor Premsingh Rajput's chamber for three hours and forced Kalambe to sign a statement saying portraits had been deliberately destroyed.

The elected representatives, who also own some of the 150 unauthorised bungalows in the picturesque Yeoor hills in Thane, told the three civic officials that they hadbeen summoned by the mayor before leading them to Rajput's chamber. There, they mocked, heckled and shouted at the officials as the mayor watched the drama unfold.

Though the officials protested vehemently, saying the portraits were crushed accidentally, the corporators were intent on getting them to sign the `statement'. Poharkar and Kharti managed to slip away but the rowdy group seized Kalambe's hand, thrust a pen into it and forced him to sign the paper. They told him if he didn't, they would ``take care of him''.

The press was barred entry to Rajput's chamber but the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) resounded to the ugly threats all the same. Both Chandrashekhar and Rajput refused to speak to the press.

The portraits of Joshi and Thackeray were in the bungalow of Transport Committee Chairperson Madar Mantri (Sena) when the bulldozers pounded the illegal structure on Friday. Two more bulgalows were razed on Saturday before the chief minister stayed the demolition drive. The sprawling and lavishlyfurnished structures are owned by politicians, doctors, advocates, prominent personalities as well as many of the corporators themselves.

Hostilities broke out between Chandrashekhar and Joshi recently, when the commissioner dispatched a list of 40 corporators to the chief minister urging action against them on charges of corruption. The list, which is not partial to party affiliations, names corporators whose nexus with builders has made Thane a cesspool of corruption. Soon after the commissioner sought action against these elected representatives, Joshi hurled the first salvo, accusing the commissioner of ``running to the press'' with reckless statements. The corporators, who have wilfully plunged into the battle, have also accused the commissioner of being publicity-hungry.

Chandrashekhar, for his part, desists from speaking to the media, saying only that his he is intent on seeking clearance for phase-II of his road-widening programme. Here too, corporators at last week's Standing Commisstte meetingstonewalled the tenders for the project.