Some of the autorickshaws that were vandalised at Santosh Nagar in Goregaon (east) early on Sunday. One person has been arrested in connection with the incident. (Photo: Mrugesh Bandiwadekar)
Some of the autorickshaws that were vandalised at Santosh Nagar in Goregaon (east) early on Sunday. One person has been arrested in connection with the incident. (Photo: Mrugesh Bandiwadekar)
Up to 40 auto-rickshaws were allegedly ransacked early on Monday at an illegal parking space in Goregaon (east) by two men associated with another such unauthorised parking facility located nearby, as they felt it had weaned away their old patrons.
The police arrested Imran Ismail Shaikh in connection with the vandalising, while one accused, Rocky, is absconding. Officials have booked Shaikh under relevant sections of the IPC for assault and molestation. Shaikh already has another case of assault registered against him.
According to a senior official from the Dindoshi police station, the parking lot where Shaikh vandalised the autos belongs to one Pradip Shinde, who is externed from Mumbai by the police. Shinde’s mother Sulakshna now runs this illegal parking place, which is located in Santosh Nagar area of Dindoshi. Every night, around 30 to 40 autorickshaws park there.
The Shinde family had no fixed charge for the parking lot and charged around Rs 30 to Rs 40 from auto drivers and owners.
Sources said Shaikh had recently opened his autorickshaw parking lot — which is also illegal — on a road next to Shinde’s parking lot. However, he was upset as auto drivers continued to park vehicles in Shinde’s parking.
Around 3 am on Sunday, Shaikh and Rocky reached Shinde’s parking lot and allegedly started vandalising autos, using bamboo sticks. Upon hearing the commotion, Sulakshana rushed to the spot and tried to stop Shaikh but he manhandled her and fled the place, sources said. Sulakshana filed a police complaint, after which the cops arrested Shaikh.
A member of Sath Pratisadh, a local non governmental organisation, said it has been asking the traffic police to take action against the illegal parking that falls between Nagrik Nivara Parishadh and the BMC- Colony. “The land belongs to the government, but the two groups have been strong-arming people to pay. When we asked the traffic police to do something, they said they can’t do anything about it,” said Sandip Sawant.
Sunil Prabhu MP of Dindoshi, where Goregaon is located, said he would talk to the local traffic police. “I will go to the spot and see it myself. On the other hand, we will make sure that the plot is cleared if it is being used illegally,” said Mr Prabhu.
