Families of Mumbai police personnel who had met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and MNC chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday, took their grievances to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday. They have been pleading with senior leaders for justice after the spate of incidents in which policemen on duty suffered injuries, the most recent being the death of Traffic Head Constable Vilas Shinde, who was brutally attacked when he tried to apprehend a traffic rule violator.
A delegation comprising spouses of police personnel met Uddhav on Sunday, who promised to be with them at a meeting with Mr. Fadnavis on September 7.
Mr. Thackeray, who had visited Mr. Shinde while he was battling for life in Lilavati Hospital’s ICU, has also demanded prompt action against Ahmed Mohammed Ali Qureshi, 21, who had allegedly hit him on the head with a bamboo pole, injuring him grievously. Mr. Shinde had tried to stop Qureshi’s minor brother, who was riding a two-wheeler without a helmet, in Khar on August 25. He succumbed to his injuries on August 31. While Qureshi was booked for murder, his minor brother has been sent to a juvenile correctional home.
Mr. Shinde’s death has moved the spotlight to safety of policemen on duty, who are increasingly being attacked while enforcing the law. The delegation demanded Qureshi be tried in a fast- track court, and the State demand death penalty for Qureshi.
A similar demand was made by women at Worli police headquarters on Wednesday when Mr. Fadnavis visited Mr. Shinde’s residence to console the family. The women gheraoed the CM and demanded justice for Mr Shinde’s family. Mr. Fadnavis, who is also the State Home Minister, had assured a government job for one member of Mr. Shinde’s family and compensation of Rs. 25 lakh.
Meanwhile, an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana also raised the issue, questioning the situation where law enforcers were not safe.
“The damage to the police image won’t stop merely by according deceased policemen the status of martyrs. The morale of the police force is down and political interference has increased,” the editorial said in an apparent dig at the Home Department headed by Mr. Fadnavis.
State of lawlessnessThree incidents of police personnel suffering grievous injuries at the hands of law violators were reported across the State. On Saturday, a police patrol comprising five personnel including two women constables were injured when a petrol tanker belonging to a steel company rammed into a police barricade at Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Panjrapole. They were identified as Sukhdev Kolekar, Arun Soni, Ramdas Charoskar, Sunita Mane and Surekha Pawar.
While Mr. Kolekar’s left hand was fractured, the rest suffered bruises.
In Thane, Traffic Constable Narsingh Mahapure was injured late on Friday night when he tried to stop a vehicle at Teen Hath Naka traffic junction. The driver, who was inebriated, hit Mr. Mahapure and dragged him along for around 500m.
In Dhule district, PSI Premnath Dhole suffered serious injuries when two groups clashed in Sakri after the accused, arrested in a dowry case, obtained bail. When Mr. Dhole tried to control the mob, he was assaulted with sticks and stones.
