3 min readMumbaiDec 3, 2014 01:23 AM IST
First published on: Dec 3, 2014 at 01:23 AM IST
Ajay Gawand
Constable Ajay Gawand of Dongri police station, who died after a brutal assault by a thief three weeks ago, will be commemorated with a statue and community hall named after him, both located across the road from the police station where he was posted.
Colleagues of Gawand, apart from superior officers have been raising money to create a permanent memorial for the slain constable near Dongri police station. Gawand, 43, was part of the detection squad of the Dongri police station and had been serving in the Mumbai Police since 1993.
“At first, we thought of commissioning a bust in Plaster of Paris, but realised that it would deteriorate with time. We have now decided to have a bust in bronze installed opposite Dongri police station. Gawand’s family has given us a good picture of his for the purpose,” said Ravindra Shisve, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone I.
The Mumbai Police is looking to fully fund the small project through contributions from the staff at Dongri police station and senior officers. “We are looking to raise about Rs 25,000 and hire a sculptor. It will be a small project for which we expect everyone to chip in a bit. We have already finalised the text we want to have etched below the bust. We hope to have it ready in a fortnight,” he said.
Once completed, the memorial to Gawand will be the first bust of a slain Mumbai Police personnel since the statues of those killed in the 26/11 terror attacks in 2008.
Immediately, there are plans to name a newly constructed community hall in Dongri after Gawand. “In the past year, we have completely transformed a barren patch of land opposite the police station and built a multipurpose air-conditioned community hall there. We plan to name it ‘Shaheed Ajay Gawand Smriti Sabhagruha’ and will invite Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria to inaugurate it in a fortnight’s time. The hall will be used to conduct meetings of the local mohalla committee among other events,” Shisve said.
Gawand was among a team of policemen to respond to a call of theft at the Bharat Petroleum building in Wadi Bunder on November 16. Histotry-sheeter Santosh Salvi had climbed to the roof of the building and was pelting stones at the policemen below.
Gawand then rushed ahead of his colleagues and onto the roof to confront Salvi alone. However, Salvi allegedly attacked him with a large wooden plank and continued to batter him on the head even after he fell to the ground.By then, other policemen had also reached the roof and overpowered Salvi, but Gawand was declared dead on arrival in J J Hospital. Gawand had earned a reputation as a daredevil policeman, often confronting criminals without the assistance of his colleagues.
srinath.rao@expressindia.com
Ajay Gawand
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