MLA, 25 villagers detained

Balaram Patil, MLA of Peasants and Workers Party, and 25 villagers were detained by Kalamboli police on Friday for protesting against a demolition drive by CIDCO.

Senior Police Inspector Kondiram Pophere said, “A few chawls and a three-storey building in Sector 1 E were razed in the demolition drive. We had to detain the residents and the MLA as they blocked the highway in protest.

An official of Panvel City Municipal Corporation said, “The drive was held as per the High Court’s orders. The drive was stalled owing to the monsoon and we are resuming it now. The chawls and the three-storey building are illegal structures.”