The atmosphere at the Worli-based BDD chawl is tense.
The atmosphere at the Worli-based BDD chawl is tense. The grief over the death of 51-year-old traffic constable Vilas Shinde still hangs in the corridors of building number 28 of the chawl where his family stays. Outside, the area from the BDD chawl to Doordarshan Tower observed a bandh through Thursday as a mark of protest over his death. Shinde succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday after having been assaulted by the brother of a juvenile motorcyclist, who had been stopped by Shinde for checks, on August 23.
“Politicians have called for a bandh and have shut down shops in the area. Why are they raising their voice for us now When the cops are alive, they are treated badly by these very politicians and nobody shows them any respect,” said the wife of a policeman not wishing to be named.
With most of the residents in BDD chawl being either traffic cops or policemen, the families are visibly angry. “They do an honourable job — protecting others and maintain law and order — but at what cost Who will ensure that they are protected while doing their duty ” asks Suhasini, the wife of a police constable.
Shinde whose last rites were held on Thursday in his hometown Wai in Satara, was paid respects by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday. The CM had to face the ire nearly 40-50 police wives, who gheroaed him and demanded that he honour Shinde by ensuring the safety of the rest of the police force. “We want the arrested accused to be hanged to death. They should not be let off, if they are, it will be an insult to Shinde, and it will also make others fearless and thoughtless when they see a cop on duty,” said a youngster whose father is a constable.
The family members say they always worried whether they will see their husbands and sons again. “They don’t get holidays and work on all festivals. But now when they leave home, we are not even sure whether they walk back in the same way they left,” said Seema, whose brother is a traffic constable.
