Mumbai: Mayor manhandled woman, allege Santacruz protesters

Screenshot of the video shot by a local showing Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar twisting a woman's hand

Following the death of two people in Sunday's flooding in the city, residents of Patel Nagar, Santacruz protested the lack of civic apathy by jamming the Western Express Highway. When Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar visited the place the next day, he was heckled by angry residents when he manhandled a woman, locals alleged.

Around 10 protesters were also injured in the police lathi-charge on Sunday evening, a local said.

A video shot by a local resident went viral showing the mayor twisting the hand of a woman present at the location.

"We were angry as not a single authority visited the place on the day of the incident. We visited the local corporator's office too but to no avail. When we protested, the police resorted to lathi charge and my mother Zubeda Sheikh, 57, was injured," said Abida Sheikh, a local resident, adding that the doctors had suggested fixing of some plates on her hand before plastering it.

"My parents stay by themselves without anyone to take care of them, how will they manage?"

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"The cops hit us like really bad. They hit me on my head and hand and my head started bleeding. I am now unable to go to work to the garage. How will my family manage without me going to work?" questioned another local, Ashok Kahar, 45.

Vandana Vaigaonakar's 45-year-old son Sanjay too has been injured in the lathi charge leaving her worried.

MNS leader Akhil Chitre, present at the spot condemned the mayor's act, saying, "I demand that an FIR be registered against him."

'No dadagiri'

The mayor has denied manhandling the woman. "I had visited the place with the local corporator and a few others but they weren't allowing us to enter the area. They had formed a human chain. My people just tried to unlock the chain. I was not doing any dadagiri, in fact, was requesting them to behave," the mayor said.

Also Read: Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar's vehicle slapped with Rs 200 e-challan

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