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After ban, Maharashtra police to put curbs on PFI activities

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The Maharashtra police instructed all the commissionerates and district police to remove the hoardings and seal offices of the Popular Front of India (PFI) after the Centre banned the organisation on Wednesday. They have been told to monitor the members’ social media activities to prevent any instigation.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday welcomed the ban on the PFI for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Fadnavis, who also holds the portfolio of home ministry, has directed the Maharashtra director general of police (DGP) to place PFI members under surveillance and monitor their activities to prevent any untoward law and order situation.
Police have also been asked to monitor social media platforms and WhatsApp groups as a preventive measure in case PFI members share messages to garner support, and if there is an attempt to instigate a particular community.

They are to ensure that the PFI members are not sharing anything that portrays the outfit as the victim in an attempt to gain sympathy of the community.

Mumbai Police Department’s Special Branch, which keeps a tab on social media, has removed hundreds of posts supporting the PFI after the Central government announced the ban early Wednesday.

One such action involved a Powai resident, who is the general secretary and finance in-charge of the PFI in the city. Police sources said he posted comments on a social media platform that could have led to a law and order problem. The post was removed and he was taken into preventive custody, they added.

Sources said multiple offices of the PFI in Maharashtra have been sealed and their hoardings removed, including one in Nerul, Navi Mumbai.

The ban follows the pan-India raids by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier this month. The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra has since arrested 22 PFI members and office-bearers from different locations, including Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Aurangabad and Malegaon.

Crime

Mumbai Shocker! 17-Year-Old Molested In Metro Lift At Dahanukarwadi Station In Kandivali

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Mumbai: A shocking incident has come to light from Mumbai’s Kandivali area, where a 17-year-old girl was allegedly molested by an unidentified man inside a lift at the Dahanukarwadi Metro station on the Yellow Line. A case has been registered against an unidentified man.

the incident occurred on Friday, May 29, at around 11.50 am. The report stated that the accused was already present inside the lift, and after seeing the girl entering the lift alone, he allegedly molested her as the doors shut by touching her inappropriately.

Terrified by the incident, the girl first approached the metro staff for help and then later approached the police station. A case was registered, and currently, efforts are underway to identify and trace him.

Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL) officials also confirmed the incident and told media that they are providing all possible help to the police in the case. Additionally, the officials also informed that there are about 64 CCTV cameras at the Dhanukarwadi metro station, and the footage from the day of the incident is also being provided.

Meanwhile, in another recent case, a case under POSCO has been registered against a 40-year-old man who has been allegedly accused of showing pornographic films and molesting a 13-year-old boy in Mumbai’s Agripada area. The shocking incident took place at the Classic Tower residential society located in the Agripada locality. The matter came to light after the traumatised minor confided in his family members about the ordeal, and a case was registered.

Earlier in May, a case of alleged molestation was registered against a BMC officer after a woman employee accused him of misbehaving with her inside the civic body headquarters.

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Maharashtra

Mahayuti’s MLC poll deal: BJP takes lion’s share with 11 seats; Shiv Sena 4, NCP 2

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Mumbai, June 1: Following intense negotiations and high-level meetings involving top BJP leadership, the ruling Mahayuti alliance has arrived at a seat-sharing arrangement for the 17 Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) seats. The election, which relies on elected members of local bodies as the electorate, will take place on June 18.

Monday is the last day for filing nominations.

Of the 17 seats, BJP will contest 11, Shiv Sena 4 and NCP 2.

The BJP took the lion’s share of the allocation after maintaining a firm stance on maximising its contest based on local body numerical advantages. Out of the 11 candidates, 10 are contesting for regular six-year terms, while one candidate has been fielded for the highly watched Nagpur bypoll seat.

The complete list of BJP nominees and their designated constituencies are — Ahilyanagar: Prajakt Tanpure (who officially switched over to the BJP leaving NCP SP); Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli: Arun Lakhani (businessman and prominent relative of NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule’s family); Nagpur (Bypoll Seat): Dr Rajiv Potdar (contesting the single seat vacated after state Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule transitioned to the State Assembly); Amravati: Pravin Pote Patil; Bhandara-Gondia: Avinash Brahmankar; Sangli-Satara: Dhairyashil Kadam; Solapur: Rajendra Raut; Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Jalna: Suhas Shirsat; Nanded: Amar Rajurkar; Osmanabad-Latur-Beed: Basavraj Patil and Jalgaon: Nandkishor Mahajan.

Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde initially pushed for 7 seats but settled for 4 after interventions from top BJP national leadership. The party conceded Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Jalna to the BJP in exchange for securing Nashik. The Sena announced its nominees — Thane (Shinde’s political home turf): Ravindra Phatak; Nashik: Narendra Darade; Parbhani: Saied Khan; and for Yavatmal, the nominee is Sheetal Sanjay Rathod, who is the wife of Minister Sanjay Rathod

The NCP, led locally by Sunetra Pawar, held firm on its core demands and successfully negotiated 2 seats. Notably, the party secured the Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg seat (Konkan local authorities) amidst friction with local Shiv Sena leaders, potentially settling the dispute by leaving the Raigad Guardian Minister post to the Sena.

The two seats are: Pune (won after a tug-of-war with the BJP), where the party has fielded a businessman and a son of former MP Sanjay Kakde, Vikram Kakde. In Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg (Konkan), the party has nominated former legislator Aniket Tatkare, who is the son of the state party chief and MP Sunil Tatkare.

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Maharashtra

‘Mumbai’s Drain Cleaning More Than 80% Complete Ahead Of Monsoon,’ Says Mayor Ritu Tawde During Inspection

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Mumbai: Mayor Ritu Tawde on Monday reviewed the ongoing drain-cleaning and desilting works across the city and said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is working to ensure the city is prepared before the arrival of the monsoon.

Speaking to mediapersons during the inspection, Tawde said the civic body had started the drain-cleaning exercise a month earlier than usual to strengthen flood-preparedness measures.

“We started the cleaning of Mumbai’s drains one month in advance ahead of monsoon. If we look at the overall drain-cleaning work, more than 80 per cent of the drains across Mumbai have been cleaned so far. If there are any minor gaps or delays, efforts are currently underway to address them. Overall, both minor and major drains in Mumbai have been cleaned beyond 80 per cent,” the Mayor said.

The inspection comes at a crucial time as weather agencies have predicted increasing rainfall activity across Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region in the coming days, raising concerns over waterlogging and flooding in vulnerable areas.

According to the latest BMC data as of May 31, desilting work on major drains has crossed its target, with overall progress reaching 101.47 per cent. The City Division recorded 110 per cent completion, while the Western Suburbs reached 106.85 per cent. The Eastern Suburbs reported 89.69 per cent progress.

Minor drain desilting has also surpassed targets in several wards, with overall citywide progress touching 101.35 per cent. Among the best-performing wards were G/S Ward at 135.05 per cent, D Ward at 133.35 per cent, P/S Ward at 121.81 per cent and K/W Ward at 111.10 per cent.

However, civic records show that a few areas are still lagging behind. S Ward reported only 15.73 per cent completion, while M/E Ward stood at 89.83 per cent. Efforts are underway to bridge the remaining gaps before heavy rains begin.

The Mithi River desilting project, one of Mumbai’s key flood-mitigation measures, has achieved 68.48 per cent progress so far. Among its three divisions, ES-526 recorded the highest completion level at 77.27 per cent, followed by ES-527 at 69.71 per cent and ES-525 at 57.83 per cent.

Mumbai has witnessed several instances of severe waterlogging during previous monsoons, leading the BMC to intensify pre-monsoon preparations this year. Apart from drain cleaning, civic authorities are also monitoring pumping stations, flood-prone locations and stormwater drainage infrastructure. Regular inspections and progress reviews will likely continue in the coming weeks to ensure that all critical works are completed before the full-fledged monsoon reaches the city.

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