Mumbai : Security was stepped up in Mumbai amid sporadic incidents of violence for the second day on Monday after the Sena splinter group leader Raj Thackeray's outbursts against north Indians as vandals allegedly threw bottles at Amitabh Bachchan's home, an incident denied by the police.

Thackeray, who came under all-round attack for allegedly stoking divisive politics, faced charges of encouraging attacks against North Indians after Samajwadi leader Amar Singh filed an FIR before the police early on Monday.

Police, who said the situation was normal and under control unlike the tense moments in Dadar on Sunday, said eight more persons were arrested on Monday for indulging in acts of rioting and violence taking the total number of those facing police action to 33 since on Sunday. The arrested including activists of Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena(MNS) and Samajwadi workers.

Two taxis were damaged and their drivers assaulted by suspected MNS workers outside the Shiv Sena headquarters in Dadar, which is also close to Raj's residence, police said.

A group of persons were nabbed as they attempted to burn an effigy of Raj Thackeray in the Chirag Nagar area of the north eastern suburb Ghatkopar on Monday afternoon, they said.

Suspected Samajwadi Party activists tore-off some posters put up by the MNS in Colaba, DCP (Zone I) Brijesh Singh said.

Raj Thackeray distanced hismelf from the attack on Bachchan's home which was described as an act of cowardice by Amar Singh. Bachchan, who was in Jaipur for a film shoot, refrained to comment. Raj however said "it is not necessary to use violence always, if provoked we will retaliate."

There were unconfirmed reports said that some persons suspected to be from the MNS allegedly went into a local train armed with TV cameras, picked up a north Indian passenger and assaulted him.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said stern action would be taken against the guilty because the violence should not spread. "There will be full protection for those living in Mumbai."

SP's Mumbai unit chief Abu Asim Azmi met Deshmukh at Mantralaya and demanded that Raj be arrested for inciting violence.

The Union Home Ministry was also monitoring the situation even as Union Minister of state for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal asked Maharashtra government to tackle the situation in all seriousness and take proper steps to maintain law and order.

K L Prasad, Joint Commissioner ofPolice (law and order), said two additional companies of the State Reserve Police Force were requisitioned in the city on Monday.

Prasad said necessary action including arrests will be made regarding the FIR of criminal intimidation against Raj Thackeray filed by SP leader Amar Singh.

TV visuals showed two motor-cycle borne youths hurling a glass bottle at actor Amitabh Bachchan's 'Prateeksha' residence in Juhu.

While police denied any such incident saying not a shred of glass was found, mediamen deployed outside Bachchan's bungalow anticipating trouble in the wake of clashes between the MNS and Samajwadi Party (SP) supporters on Sunday said they heard verbal abuses being hurled by the duo and also saw a bottle being thrown by them.