Mumbai: Police have busted a child trafficking racket after rescuing a six-day-old boy in Mumbai and arrested four persons, including his parents, an official said on Thursday.

Based on credible information about child trafficking, social activist Dr Binu Varghese alerted the police.

About The Case

Acting on the inputs, the police caught two women red-handed while accepting Rs 4.5 lakh for child trafficking and rescued the newborn on Wednesday night, the official from Shivaji Nagar police station said.

It also came to light that Rs 1 lakh had already been paid as advance to the child’s parents, the police said.

The Shivaji Nagar police arrested four persons — Nazima Sheikh alias Nasreen, Fatima Mehmoobali and the child’s parents Irfan Khan and Sumaiya Khan.

A case was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections, including 143(3) (trafficking), against these four persons and an alleged mastermind of the racket, who is a relative of a local history-sheeter, the official said.

All the accused are residents of Shivaji Nagar, the police added.

Mumbai: (Kamar Ansari) The internal rift within the Maharashtra unit of the Samajwadi Party has now come out in the open. For the past several days, senior party leader Abu Asim Azmi had been reportedly upset with his own party MLA, Rais Shaikh. Though he had hinted at his displeasure in earlier statements, the matter has now escalated publicly. Azmi has chosen former Congress leader Yusuf Abrahani to replace Rais Shaikh, making it evident that Shaikh is being shown the door from the party.

On the ground, one key reason behind this development appears to be Rais Shaikh’s growing popularity. In both Mumbai and Bhiwandi, he has gained considerable public support due to his relentless efforts and grassroots connect. Rais Shaikh has been elected twice from the Bhiwandi Assembly constituency on a Samajwadi Party ticket. Local residents believe he was re-elected solely because of the development work he has undertaken — particularly in education, roads, and water supply.

His strong connection with the people has further elevated his stature. Even in South Mumbai, where he once served as a municipal corporator, the public still appreciates his work. Due to this, voters are also showing interest in candidates backed by Rais Shaikh in the upcoming municipal elections.

According to sources, Abu Asim Azmi began to feel threatened by Shaikh’s rising prominence. This tension was reportedly worsened by the Samajwadi Party high command, including Akhilesh Yadav, who is believed to be unhappy with Azmi. Insiders suggest that Shaikh is being removed by azmi to prevent him from becoming a dominant force within the party.

Interestingly, Yusuf Abrahani — who left Congress recently and joined the Samajwadi Party — is the same person who, about two decades ago, had walked away from the Samajwadi Party, taking several corporators with him and severely weakening the party’s Mumbai unit. The Congress later rewarded him with a ticket from Mankhurd, from where he served one term as an MLA. However, he failed to retain his seat in the next election.

Abu Asim Azmi later contested and won from the same Mankhurd seat, defeating Yusuf Abrahani. Notably, Rais Shaikh played a crucial role in ensuring Azmi’s victory from Mankhurd. Now, ironically, in order to sideline Shaikh, Azmi has brought Abrahani back into the fold — hoping he can once again mobilize several corporators in favor of the party.

The office from where Rais Shaikh used to operate has also reportedly been handed over to Yusuf Abrahani — a clear message that Shaikh no longer has a place in the party.

According to close associates of Akhilesh Yadav and party insiders, the Samajwadi Party is now looking for a strong alternative to Azmi in Maharashtra. To prevent further damage, the central leadership is said to be increasingly ignoring Azmi’s decisions and moving in a different direction.

Mumbai: Mumbai Coastal Road is witnessing increasing concerns over speeding and traffic violations, with more than 4,000 motorists fined so far this year. According to Mumbai Traffic Police, speeding offences have resulted in fines amounting to Rs 82 lakh, of which Rs 31 lakh has already been recovered from around 1,500 offenders.

In addition, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) issued 596 separate challans for similar violations, many involving luxury vehicles such as BMWs, Audis and Mercedes-Benz, Of the 596 challans issued by the transport department, 306 were by Tardeo RTO and 290 by Wadala RTO.

Interceptor Vehicles Deployed At Several Spots To Tackle Issue

To crack down on reckless driving, both the RTO and traffic police have deployed interceptor vehicles that monitor speeds and generate e-challans. Four enforcement squads have also been stationed at key entry and exit points of the Coastal Road, which currently handles an average of 18,000 to 20,000 vehicles daily.

Officials are now shifting focus to another pressing concern, motorists misusing the dedicated bus lane. Authorities say that unauthorised driving in this lane poses a serious challenge during emergencies when towing of broken-down vehicles is required.

South Mumbai Residents Launch Second Petition Demanding Napean Sea Road Exit

Meanwhile, residents of South Mumbai, especially those from Breach Candy, Napean Sea Road (NSR), and Malabar Hill, have raised fresh concerns about worsening traffic congestion. For months, locals have been demanding an additional exit ramp from the Coastal Road at NSR to ease bottlenecks in the area. On Wednesday, an online petition launched by an NSR resident gained nearly 200 signatures within hours, highlighting the urgency of the issue.

“Along with fellow residents of Malabar Hill, Walkeshwar and Breach Candy, we urge authorities to reconsider building an NSR exit. This is a matter of safety and sustainability,” the petition states. This comes after a 2023 petition by the Breach Candy Residents Forum (BCRF), which collected over 3,200 signatures. BCRF members welcomed the NSR residents’ initiative, stating that a united front from South Mumbai could pressure authorities into action.

However, the land identified for the exit, around 67,000 sq ft, belongs to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which has so far declined to transfer it to the BMC. According to MSRDC MD Anilkumar Gaekwad, only the Chief Minister can approve such a move. Local MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha is now pursuing the matter at the state level.