Latest news with #Panvel-based
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
Man sent to 4-yr RI for abetting suicide of former married lover
Mumbai Observing that the act of the accused and his continued course of conduct created a situation that left the victim with no choice, a sessions court last week sentenced a 30-year-old man to four years of rigorous imprisonment for abetting the suicide of his former lover, a married woman with children, in 2020. The accused, Panvel-based Sachin Phadke, pressured the victim to leave her husband and also threatened to kill her family if she did not relent. Rohini died by jumping off Khopate Bridge in Navi Mumbai on July 28, 2020, leaving her chappals and purse with an identification card behind, leading police to suspect that she had taken the extreme step. Her body was found a day later. In a 26-page judgment copy, Additional Sessions Judge Santosh R Chavan noted that from audio recordings of phone conversations, it was evident that the victim realised her mistake and requested the accused to forgive her. However, the accused continuously pressurised her for marriage. In the recordings, the victim also said she would give her life but would not marry the accused. "The accused had threatened to spoil the deceased's matrimonial life and cause injury to her family. The accused knew that the deceased was a married woman having two daughters; his marriage with the deceased was not possible. Despite this, he was continuously pressurising her for marriage and threatening her. The accused knew the consequences of his act. There is instigation on the part of the accused," the judge said. The judge found a "direct and proximate link between the accused's act of abetment and the decision of the deceased to die by suicide". The judge found him guilty under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code relating to abetment to suicide. The maximum sentence attracted was 10 years of imprisonment. Initially, the reason for the victim's suicide was unknown, and no complaint was filed. However, after the victim's last rites, her brother discovered call recordings on her mobile phone. These recordings revealed conversations between her and Phadke, indicating a relationship. It also showed that Phadke was mentally and physically harassing her, pressuring her for marriage, and threatening to defame her and harm her family. Subsequently, after a chance encounter at a petrol pump, where the victim's daughter recognised the accused and informed her uncle who accompanied her, the family filed a complaint with the Uran police station in Oct 2020. The daughter told the uncle the accused had turned up at their home once and beaten the victim. The accused was arrested and released on bail on Sept 16, 2022. The prosecution examined 10 witnesses, including the victim's minor daughter, husband, brothers and father. They iterated the version that she died due to the harassment of the accused. All denied the defence lawyer's suggestion that she was depressed due to marital woes and her husband's drinking. "After careful examination, I am convinced that she (the minor daughter) was neither tutored nor used for manipulation by the prosecution; hence, her testimony is admissible. Her evidence corroborates with the evidence of other witnesses," the judge said. The judge found the delay in the police complaint adequately explained due to the family's grief.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Cops to be deployed on all long-distance trains in Mumbai
Mumbai: Two recent robberies on board long-distance trains in the city have prompted the Government Railway Police (GRP) to step up patrolling and vigilance activities and crack down on gangs involved in luggage, jewellery and mobile phone theft. The GRP has launched a special campaign to trace mobile phones stolen over the past five years besides deploying personnel in long-distance trains, said Rakesh Kalasagar, railway police commissioner. 'Thirty-one long-distance trains leave Mumbai everyday,' Kalasagar said on Sunday. 'From now on, two railway police personnel will be deployed in each of these trains. They will patrol the entire train and protect passengers up to the limits of the railway police commissionerate, which will curb criminal activities.' Increase in crime On June 1, knife-wielding robbers targeted a Joesghwari-based family travelling via the Jaipur-Bandra Terminus Superfast Express after the train crossed Borivali and camped off with a trolley bag containing cash and valuables worth ₹7 lakh. Then, on June 5, a robber targeted Dipali Deshmukh, a Panvel-based doctor, travelling on board the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Nanded Special train when it was between Bhandup and Kanjurmarg. The robber dragged her till the door in a bid to snatch her purse, her husband following her – then he jumped off the moving train, pulling the couple down behind him. The incident cost Dipali's husband Yogesh Deshmukh, also a doctor, his left arm, which had to be amputated due to injuries caused by the fall. The robberies were indicative of increasing crimes on railway premises. According to data from the GRP, 12,000 cases of theft were registered in 2022, including cases involving theft of mobile phones. But in 2024, 11,143 mobile phones alone were stolen from railway premises, taking the monthly average of mobile phone thefts to over 928. Between January and May this year, over 3,576 mobile phones were stolen, taking the monthly average to over 715. Security measures The GRP has initiated several measures in light of recent incidents to increase security and prevent crimes on trains. The most prominent among these is a special campaign to prevent mobile thefts. A team has been formed under the campaign within the crime detection branch of every railway police station. 'These teams will conduct technical investigations and try to recover all stolen and lost mobile phones in their jurisdiction in the past five years,' said Kalasagar. Most mobile phone thefts occur when commuters try to board trains or when they use phones carelessly while travelling on trains, said the commissioner. 'Thieves often take advantage of large crowds that gather to board trains. Besides, many people are inattentive while talking and keep their phones in their hand while standing at the door, which makes snatching easy,' he said. Thefts of mobile phones, laptops and luggage are most common on railway premises, followed by molestation cases, said Kalasagar. Four railway police personnel are deployed in every local train including in ladies compartments to curb such cases, he said. 'Along similar lines, we will join forces with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and deploy two personnel on every long-distance train,' said Kalasagar. 'Most crimes are committed for the purpose of theft. Our teams will keep an eye on such activities and bring down crimes,' he said. 758 RPF posts vacant While efforts are underway to enhance security on long-distance trains, the RPF is severely understaffed, with 758 posts lying vacant. The vacancies span 25% posts for officers and 16% posts for employees. The recruitment process for the vacancies would be started soon, said Kalasagar.
Time of India
7 days ago
- General
- Time of India
For this social worker, every day is Father's Day
Navi Mumbai: As a young man in his 20s, Panvel-based social worker Pastor Philip was shaken to catch the sight of a naked homeless youth trying to ward off a few stray dogs to search for discarded food inside an open pile of trash. It had got him thinking in his pre-activist avatar, on why the govt is not doing anything for the poorest of the poor. A few years later, while visiting the red light area of Sonapur for research, Philip found himself cradling a sickly abandoned nine-month-old baby, because his mother, a sex worker, said she cannot afford to take care of him. Since none of the orphanages in Mumbai were willing to admit this baby, because he was HIV positive, Philip had decided to rent a room in Panvel to keep this baby and start his own NGO. That is how the Social and Evangelical Association for Love (SEAL) Ashram was started by him in No 1999. Today, as there are over 400 rescued destitutes at SEAL campus in New Panvel, Pastor Philip said that every day feels like Father's Day for him, as he oversees its running. "Besides rescued men, women and senior citizens, we also have many children at our shelter, who have been admitted to schools in Panvel region, and all of them have mentioned my name as their father in the school registers," said Philip, who is happy that many of his rescued kids have grown up over the years and settled down. The chief patron of SEAL and founder of Harmony Foundation, Abraham Mathai, commented: "Father's Day is a time to honour those amazing fathers who nurture, protect and uplift with unconditional love. Pastor Philip is one such father who has done this over the the years, inspired by love and grounded in the principles of compassion." Mathai added: "Pastor Philip established a shelter where the abandoned find a family, dignity and a renewed sense of life. Hence, our Harmony Foundation also dedicates this Father's Day to him.'' Amid this basket of love and happiness, there are also a few sorrowful things that Philip always keeps close to him — like a plastic begging bowl with Rs 65.50 in it, marked as 'Tears Of Vidya — Treasure Of A Tiny Life'. In May 2001, Philip had come across a fragile, ailing girl, Vidya, who was simply lying on the railway FOB of Bhandup station, while her parents put this begging bowl in front of her. Philip had ensured that Vidya was immediately sent to a hospital, where she could only utter two words before dying -- "Roti do' [Give me bread]." Philip has kept this sealed begging bowl to remind him of how much more needs to be done.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Panvel: 96 Pioneer CHS flat owners get eviction notices as building fails to obtain OC
Panvel City Municipal Corporation has issued evacuation notices to all 96 flat owners of Pioneer CHS, Panvel, citing lack of occupancy certificate (OC), while apparently sparing architects, structural or RCC consultants and builders/developers of accountability. The corporation recently discontinued their water tanker service, which was being provided free of cost since November 2023, resulting in accumulated costs of Rs 18.54 lakh, despite recurring water tax payment defaults. The Ground+12 storey building's occupants received possession in 2017, but the society failed to secure Transfer of Development Rights and meet other requirements due to unauthorised construction. Several government officials, including police personnel and other departmental staff, purchased flats in the building after 2017, alongside the original 46 members. PCMC's Panvel ward officer, Rupali Mane, requested a site inspection separately. However, the authority's actions have drawn scrutiny as neither the three former architects nor the Panvel-based builders/developers received notices regarding the unauthorised construction. The corporation issued notices under MRTP Act to select flat owners and the society on December 5, 2017, regarding illegal occupation. On June 28, 2021, they requested various documents, including TDR, taxes and bills documentation. The society executed registered and unregistered agreements with developers/builders on September 28, 2012 and October 20, 2015. They obtained Construction Commencement certificate and appointed an architect without specifying the developers/builders. One developer copied his response to the society and other partners. Despite these irregularities, three daily water tankers (Rs 1200 each) were supplied without billing, causing financial losses to the corporation under political pressure. Deputy engineer Vilas Chavan confirmed, "We have stopped the water tanker supply." The property includes four shops owned by a retired ACP's son and former senior police inspector-Panvel, with several police officials, constables and government employees owning chief Mangesh Chitale remained unavailable for comment despite Mirror sending text messages for comment.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Time of India
Begging racket exposes abuse and exploitation of children in Navi Mumbai
NAVI MUMBAI: A city activist recently captured on camera how a small seven-year-old beggar girl was beaten with a stick by a beggar woman at Vashi, Sector 17. The activist, Madhu Shankar, observed that the woman controls around a dozen kids who are forced to beg under the scorching sun on the roads. Each kid has to carry a small sling purse, and if the children are unable to fill up their purses with some money through begging, the woman hits them with the stick and orders them to beg more. "As soon as I started video recording this assault on the girl child, the older woman gestured for all the kids to run away and laughingly told me that they were just 'joking and playing'. However, I told her that I called the police, and so they should face the consequences," said Shankar. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai When the Vashi police arrived at the spot, they only rounded up the woman and another adult to be taken to the police station. "At the police station, the woman started making threatening gestures towards me and told the cops that they only sell flowers and do not beg. They also boasted that they know some 'DCP' in Maharashtra who will help them out," said the activist. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The police then called the ChildLine officials, who are linked to the Maharashtra govt for woman and child development. The cops did not lodge an FIR, as they said that for the first offence, they have to warn the beggars, and if they are caught again, then they are arrested and sent to beggars' homes, etc. The activist Shankar said that these children do not get any basic education. To this, the ChildLine officials said that they will talk to NMMC to get some space in Vashi, where they can start the basic literacy of the beggar children. Altaf Kagazi of ChildLine told Mirror: "The beggars at Vashi belong to the Pardhi tribal community, which is quite backward in society. We will talk to the civic officials to start the basic literacy programme for beggar children." Also, city activists said that despite police combing operations, the beggars often return to the streets after a few days, which indicates there are kingpins behind the begging racket who need to be busted. Otherwise, the future of begging children will remain bleak, said Shankar. Last year, Mumbai Mirror also covered another cruel feature of the begging racket wherein small babies who are barely three to six months old are drugged by giving them some sedative so that they remain drowsy and sleep in the arms of an older beggar who begs at traffic signals, while showcasing the baby in arm to gain some pity from motorists. New Panvel-based social activist, Pastor K M Philip, of SEAL Ashram, which rescues and shelters homeless persons, recalled how he once came across a very ill beggar girl (called Vidya) who was made to lie down on a foot-over bridge of Bhandup railway station by her handlers in 2001. Philip informed the railway authorities and also admitted the minor girl to a hospital, but she passed away, after only asking the social activist to give her a 'roti' when she briefly woke up at the hospital. Philip recalled that the death of Vidya shook him up since she was suffering from TB and was also HIV positive, but still, she was forced to beg, by keeping a plastic begging bowl next to her. That particular day, when Philip admitted her, Vidya managed to collect Rs 65.50 in her begging bowl. Philip has kept this plastic jar with him all these years and called it 'Tears of Vidya'.
