In yet another case of alleged moral policing by Maharashtra police, the Arnala Coastal police hurried down to conduct a raid after villagers of Rajodi, after seeing Nigerians partying at a resort, barged and manhandled them. The cops asked those assembled there to celebrate the birthday of a three-year-old to vacate and booked the resort owner and two others.

The Arnala Coastal police raided Oasis Resort claiming that around 100-150 Nigerians were partying there with drugs and huge quantity of liquor. What they could recover from the premises was Rs 825 worth liquor. The cops, however, held Mayur Patole, 40, her son Rohit Patole, 23, and worker Arjun Yadav.

Nigerian national Stanley Akande, 38, from Virar, who had invited his family friends to celebrate the birthday of his son Trevor, alleged that the family and guests were assaulted by the police. "We were here for just 30 minutes, by then the cops came. They began to frisk us and started checking our food. They assaulted us, including my guests, and asked all of us to leave," said Stanley.

"We chose the resort as our friends and family members could join us. But this has turned into a nightmare," said his wife Blessed Akande.

"Three of my guests have been admitted to Sanjeevani hospital, while they destroyed the food. To oblige the villagers they asked us to cut the cake and leave," said Akande.

"The cops snooped inside after locals found Nigerians partying at around 10.30 pm. They frisked them claiming they possessed drugs," said Mayur Patole adding the guests were manhandled by the locals.

"After asking them to leave, police booked us on charges of possessing liquor, which was just worth Rs 825," she said.

"Just because they were Nigerians, the cops ended up taking action upon villagers' insistence. They clicked pictures of women and kids and humiliated them," said Patole.

Confirming the action and rubbishing allegations, Sandeep Shiwale, in-charge of Arnala Coastal police station, said, "We had made three arrests under relevant sections of Bombay Prohibition Act. They were produced before Vasai court, where they were released on bail," said Shiwale.

Another official, on condition of anonymity, pointed out that there are more than 1,000 illegal resorts along Vasai coastline, where booze parties and prostitution thrive.