Ward officer flees to avoid violent mob

MUMBAI, February 16: Over 250 people affected by demolition of illegal constructions at Prakash Nagar, Mahim, barged into the office of G...

MUMBAI, February 16: Over 250 people affected by demolition of illegal constructions at Prakash Nagar, Mahim, barged into the office of G-north ward officer Captain Prakash Thorat this morning, forcing him to run to the building8217;s terrace for cover.

8220;I didn8217;t tackle them because they were drunk and would have made allegations against me if something had gone wrong,8221; he later told Mayor Nandu Satam.

The drama, which continued for nearly two hours, began at 9 am, when the mob including 80 women entered the BMC office premises. Thorat maintained that some of the women bit the two security guards on duty and forced their way inside, and the rest entered by jumping the compound wall. The ward office staff, however, said the women entered the premises in batches of five to avoid any suspicion. They then gathered on the ground floor, shouting slogans. Hearing the din, Thorat stepped out of his cabin to see what was happening. 8220;The moment I came out, the mob led by the women ran towards me and entered mycabin. Since the women were drunk, I realised talking to them would be futile and gave them the slip as they searched for me,8221; he said.

Thorat said he could escape because there were two other persons in his cabin. Before the mob could identify the ward officer, he got out of the cabin and ran on to the terrace.

The mob went on the rampage and destroyed the furniture in the ward officer8217;s cabin. All the glass panes were smashed. While one group indulged in destruction, the other went around the floor searching for Thorat, but couldn8217;t find him.

Thorat immediately called Shivaji Park police station asking for help. But when about 10 to 15 policemen arrived at the ward office, they realised they would need assistance from women police officers to remove the women agitators. So they went back and got women police officers, who then arrested the mob. A panchanama was made at the police station, but the agitators were released soon after.

Thorat called up the Mayor later and apprised him of the incident.Satam said he offered to visit the ward office, but Thorat assured him he would handle the situation. Meanwhile, the Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action YUVA, an NGO, maintained that the Prakash Nagar demolitions, which took place on Friday, were illegal as no prior notice was given to the slumdwellers.

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YUVA further claimed one of the slumdwellers, Mallika 35, fractured her hand, while Bibi Shakir Sheikh 22, two months pregnant, suffered a miscarriage following the beating.The situation in Prakash Nagar, meanwhile, is serious, because the source of water 8212; an overflowing tank in the police colony 8212; has been cut.