Mumbai: Two days after a security guard was stabbed to death while trying to prevent illegal fishing in Powai lake, the Maharashtra State Angling Association (MSAA) is claiming the lake has been constantly plagued by such miscreants. The attack, its members said, was not the first.
On Monday night, one of the four security guards employed by the MSAA was stabbed to death by two history-sheeters. The duo, who have been arrested, were furious with the guards for stopping them from fishing in the lake. On Sunday night, they took the guards to the middle of the lake in a boat and stabbed one of them, Shoaib Khan, while holding the other three at knife-point.
Sayeed Zeeshan Ahmad, president, MSAA, said, “A group of people from Filter Pada in Powai have regularly been fishing in the lake illegally, not only at night but also during the day. Earlier, they were afraid of the guards but now, even that fear seems to have gone. A similar incident had taken place a few months ago.” At the time, police had arrested the accused, who were released on bail two months later.
He said the MSAA has repeatedly approached Powai police, but to no avail. “There was an incident when the illegal fishermen had caught nearly 500 kg of fish from the lake. We had informed the police at the time but they did not take it seriously,” he said.
Senior PI B.K. Mahadeshwar, Powai police station, said preventive measures are taken at the lake but refused to reveal what they are. DCP (Zone X) Vinayak Deshmukh said, “We patrol the area around the lake but protecting the fish in the water is the MSAA’s job, not ours. There are also many internal disagreements in the MSAA, and members keep complaining against each other.”
