Saturday for the Shiv Sena began with Rashmi Thackeray, wife of Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray, calling for a meeting of the party's 76 corporators at Matoshree.

She appealed to the corporators to concentrate on their work within their wards. They were given an update about Bal Thackeray's health. "Rashmi vahini told us that Balasaheb's health is improving now. So there was no need to stay outside Matoshree," a Sena corporator said.u00a0

The crowd outside Matoshree on Saturday. Pic/Shadab Khan

By afternoon however it became clear that something was amiss at the Sena supremo's residence. Though the Sena chief passed away at 3.30 pm, his death wasn't announced till over an hour later. At 3.45 pm, Sena MP Anil Desai, senior party leader Diwakar Rawte, and party secretary Vinayak Raut stepped out to take stock of the situation outside.

At 4.10 pm, MNS chief Raj Thackeray arrived with his family. Five minutes later, a tempo carrying barricades arrived near Matoshree and police started barricading the premises. ACP Vishwas Nagre Patil and other senior official s arrived soon after, and started reviewing the police bandobast.

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