Two deaths in the Khar area triggered by personal animosity have now spiralled into a communal issue.
Shiv Sena workers led by their leader MLA Srikant Sarmalkar on Thursday protested outside the Nirmal Nagar police station in Khar (east) against the alleged inaction of the local police in arresting the wanted accused in a murder case. The protesters were pacified by the Nirmal Nagar police who promised prompt action after which they went back.
On December 22, there was a fight between two groups. According to the police, the trouble began when one Dinesh, a resident of Jawahar Nagar in Khar, murdered his neighbour Nasir who was allegedly having an affair with Dinesh’s wife. Dinesh later surrendered before the police. After the incident, a scuffle broke out between friends of Dinesh and Nasir in which Vikas Kamble was seriously injured.
Kamble was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries. The police arrested the accused in both the cases and registered a cross FIR. Both the accused are from different groups and were charged with murder, assault and rioting under the IPC.
Thursday afternoon, Shiv Sena workers protested outside the police station asking the police to arrest the remaining accused who are wanted in the case.
“So far we have arrested the three accused. We are trying our best and we will trace and arrest the remaining accused soon. There was no protest by the Shiv Sena. Their (Shiv Sena) workers had come appealing to us that we should arrest the accused as soon as possible. There is no case or arrest in this regard,” said police inspector Shankare Bhore of Nirmal nagar police station who is investigating the murder cases. Senior police inspector Sudheer Jambavadekar and zonal deputy commissioner of police Virendra Mishra did not answer phone calls.
Mr Sarmalkar speaking to The Asian Age alleged, “There were over 20 persons who killed Kamble but only four have been arrested. We took out a morcha to protest against the inaction. Our demand is that all the accused be arrested immediately.” The morcha took place between 10.30 am and 12.30 pm.
“The police haven’t made any arrests because when we asked to reveal the names of the accused, they refused,” said, one of the neighbours of the victim. “We have given time till tomorrow evening and if action is not taken by then, we will launch a bigger agitation,” he said.
