Mumbai: The row over Marathi signboards in the maximum city turned ugly in Vikroli after hawkers thrashed MNS activists late Sunday night. Three MNS workers were grievously injured, while one of them suffered a skull fracture.

The prime suspect in the incident is local Congress leader, Abdul Ansari. Hawkers claim that MNS workers vandalised their stalls, while the Congress are saying that MNS is receiving what it sowed.

"Abdul Ansari owns 600 hand carts in the area. His men attacked us with knives and swords. Our activists had gone to the area to distribute pamphlets for putting up Marathi signboards on shops," Sachin More, MNS spokesperson, told CNN-News18.

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who is known to spearhead the North Indian hawkers' protest, tweeted in support of the act.

"We are against any kind of violence but there will be retaliation if the hawkers are attacked. For how long can MNS goons take law in their hands and get away with it? They will face the brunt of it at some point," he said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against 15-20 hawkers. They have been booked under sections 141, 143, 147, 149, 324, 326 of IPC. No arrests have been made so far.