India, Oct. 29 -- Traffic on Ghodbunder Road began returning to normal around 5 am on Wednesday, seven hours after hundreds of supporters of slain Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar's family blocked the arterial road, burning tyres and bringing thousands of vehicles to a standstill overnight. The protesters were demanding the arrest of former Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde for their alleged involvement in Purnekar's murder on September 29.

The blockade began around 10 pm on Tuesday, with protesters occupying Ghodbunder Road at several locations, including Majiwada, Balkum, Manpada and Mulla Baug. Traffic on the Mumbai- and Thane-bound stretches came to a complete halt, with queues of vehicles stretching...