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Maharashtra

Book BMC rulers for culpable homicide over fatal civic lapses: Uddhav Sena

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Mumbai, July 4: The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Saturday claimed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration has allegedly fallen into the hands of corrupt elements, leading to a complete collapse of civic life in the city following the initial spells of monsoon rain.

In a scathing editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Thackeray camp said Mumbai’s crumbling civic infrastructure has already claimed two innocent lives.

In Chembur, a young schoolboy was killed after a tree fell onto a school bus, while in the Sakinaka area, a 60-year-old man met a tragic end after falling into an open and unguarded manhole.

“Public outrage is mounting, with demands that instead of merely seeking the resignation of BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, cases of culpable homicide should be registered against the political rulers governing the civic body. Those who routinely criticised the Shiv Sena are now realising the party’s importance in managing the BMC,” it said.

The editorial said that the ongoing crisis has exposed the alleged hypocrisy, cruelty, and corruption of the ruling BJP and its allies. Under the previous Shiv Sena administration, local corporators held significant influence and maintained strict vigilance over their respective areas.

However, the resurgence of an unaccountable system has reportedly given rise to a culture of kickbacks, where commissions from private contractors are being actively distributed among corrupt functionaries, it added.

The crisis has triggered severe infighting within the ruling alliance. Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, belonging to the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena, sparked controversy by demanding the BMC commissioner’s resignation, holding her solely responsible for the city’s plight.

“Critics have labelled this demand as intellectual bankruptcy, pointing out that Eknath Shinde himself heads the Urban Development Ministry. While the rampant corruption and high-handedness of contractors are directly blamed for these fatal accidents, Commissioner Bhide is also criticised for failing to curb the brokerage and corruption, thereby bearing the responsibility for the two fatalities,” said the editorial.

Furthermore, the Thackeray camp claimed that amid the governance vacuum, political distractions have emerged.

A BJP leader from Mulund, mockingly referred to as ‘Popatlal’, has been frequenting the BMC headquarters to pressure the commissioner into evicting Bangladeshi immigrants — a task that legally falls under the jurisdiction of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

“Instead of playing political games in the BMC, he should question Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, as these political stunts have stalled essential civic amenities, resulting in the loss of innocent lives,” it said.

According to the editorial, the pre-monsoon preparedness of the BMC has come under severe scrutiny. The civic body failed to clean drains, repair roads, or trim dangerous tree branches in time, leading to widespread uprooting of trees and massive traffic gridlocks across the city.

“Mayor Ritu Tawde had officially declared that 104 per cent of the drain desilting work had been completed before the monsoon. Critics have questioned the mathematical logic behind a “104 per cent completion” figure, asking where the extra 4 per cent came from, noting that the city remains at the mercy of the government’s favoured contractors,” it noted.

While the commissioner is widely known as Mumbai’s “Metro Woman” for overseeing the construction of underground metro tunnels, her tenure has come under intense scrutiny over the civic body’s failure to tackle potholes and carry out effective desilting.

Amid mounting criticism, Bhide directed the police to register cases against negligent contractors whose alleged lapses resulted in the loss of lives, the editorial said.

Crime

Intoxicated passenger threatens to kill man in Mumbai local; arrested after threat video goes viral

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Mumbai, July 4: A disturbing incident aboard a Mumbai suburban local train has once again raised concerns over passenger safety after a man allegedly threatened to kill a fellow commuter during an altercation. The incident comes just weeks after a youth was stabbed on a Mumbai local train, leading to his death.

The accused was later arrested by the LTT Railway Police after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

The accused has been identified as Ramzan Fakir Mohammad Ibrahim Qureshi, also known as Ibba (36), a resident of Shivaji Nagar.

According to the Railway Police, he was allegedly travelling in a heavily intoxicated condition when he threatened the life of another passenger over what officials described as a trivial issue.

The Railway Police stated that the incident took place on June 29, 2026, aboard a ‘Down’ direction Mumbai local train that had departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). The train was passing near Govandi station at around 10:34 P.M. when the altercation occurred.

Officials said the confrontation took place between Govandi and Chembur stations. The complainant, Surendra Shukla (55), a resident of Ulwe in Navi Mumbai, told police that he had boarded the train at Govandi. He alleged that the accused was speaking to someone on his mobile phone while using abusive language in a loud voice and appeared to be heavily intoxicated.

According to Shukla, he requested the accused to refrain from using abusive language because women were travelling in the compartment. The request allegedly enraged the accused, who suddenly became aggressive, started shouting and allegedly threatened to kill him in full public view.

The incident created panic and an atmosphere of fear among passengers travelling in the compartment. During the altercation, another commuter recorded the entire episode on a mobile phone. The video was later uploaded on social media, where it spread rapidly and drew widespread attention.

After the video went viral, the LTT Railway Police took cognisance of the matter and immediately launched an investigation. Officials said the detection team carried out a technical analysis of the viral footage and examined CCTV footage from railway stations and nearby areas to identify the accused.

Based on the investigation, police tracked the accused’s movements and eventually detained him outside Reay Road railway station. He was subsequently arrested, and further legal proceedings are underway.

The incident comes close on the heels of another similar case reported in Borivali, adding to concerns over the safety and security of passengers on Mumbai’s suburban rail network.

On June 23, a 22-year-old passenger was stabbed to death inside a first-class compartment of a Churchgate-Nallasopara fast local train following an argument over keeping the coach door open during heavy rain, police said.

The victim, identified as Mayank Lohar, a resident of Virar, was travelling in the first-class coach of Train No. 90663, when the incident occurred between Andheri and Borivali stations, when he reportedly asked the accused Roshan Suvarna to close the coach door.

The request allegedly led to a heated argument between the two passengers. During the altercation, the accused Suvarna allegedly pulled out a sharp weapon and stabbed Lohar in the abdomen, inflicting serious injuries that led to his death.

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Maharashtra

Heavy rains batter Maharashtra; waterlogging, traffic disrupt normal life

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Mumbai, July 4: Heavy rainfall continued to lash several parts of Maharashtra on Saturday, triggering widespread waterlogging, traffic disruptions and flood-like conditions in many districts, including Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Palghar, Thane, Kolhapur, Raigad and Lonavala. The incessant rain disrupted normal life, with water entering homes and shops, while authorities issued alerts in several vulnerable areas.

In Mumbai, heavy showers caused severe waterlogging in several areas, including Mahim, leading to traffic congestion and disruption of vehicular movement. Similar conditions prevailed in other parts of the city as roads remained inundated.

In Navi Mumbai also, continuous rainfall resulted in severe waterlogging beneath Turbhe railway station, making pedestrian movement difficult and causing inconvenience to commuters. The nearby stretch of the Thane-Belapur Road was also completely submerged, affecting traffic flow.

In Lonavala, the famous Bhushi Dam overflowed following continuous rainfall, attracting a large number of tourists eager to witness the cascading water. Authorities, however, urged visitors to strictly follow safety guidelines due to the strong water currents and slippery conditions.

In Palghar, heavy rain inundated the Ambedkar Nagar area, with floodwaters entering several houses and disrupting the daily lives of residents.

Meanwhile, Kolhapur witnessed a sharp rise in river levels after two days of heavy rainfall. As many as 10 barrages, including the Rajaram Weir, were submerged, prompting authorities to suspend movement across affected areas and issue a high alert.

In Raigad, officials issued a red alert for heavy rainfall as the Amba River approached the danger mark, increasing the risk of flooding in nearby localities.

The situation remained particularly severe in Bhiwandi, where markets, including the Teen Batti Bhaji Market, were submerged after heavy rainfall. Floodwaters entered several shops, causing significant losses to traders. Local residents reported widespread inconvenience due to knee-deep water on roads.

A resident said that extensive waterlogging had made movement extremely difficult for people.

Another resident, Deepak Vishwakarma, said he was on his way to work when he encountered flooded roads.

He added that continuous rainfall and the red alert had left him uncertain about whether to continue his journey or return home, where waterlogging was equally severe.

In Nalasopara, roads resembled flowing streams due to heavy rain, leaving several vehicles, including a fire engine, stranded in deep water.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), heavy rainfall and strong winds over the past 24 hours led to more than 91 incidents of fallen trees and branches, around 30 cases of short circuits, 19 wall collapse incidents, and multiple reports of waterlogging across Mumbai. Authorities remain on alert as heavy rainfall is expected to continue in several parts of the state.

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Crime

Mumbai Police bust Rs 1.07 crore online share trading fraud; 6 arrested

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Mumbai, July 4: The Cyber Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police has busted an organised cyber fraud syndicate allegedly involved in cheating investors of more than Rs 1.07 crore through fake online share trading schemes.

As part of the operation, police arrested six individuals accused of orchestrating the fraud by luring victims with bogus investment opportunities, officials said.

According to the Cyber Police, the accused allegedly carried out the fraud by operating through WhatsApp groups, fake trading applications and multiple bank accounts while promising lucrative returns through fabricated share trading and IPO investment schemes.

Of the six accused arrested in the case, four were apprehended from Vadodara in Gujarat, while the remaining two were arrested from Mumbai. Police said the investigation revealed that the group functioned as a well-organised network with clearly defined roles assigned to different members.

According to investigators, the operation was carried out in several layers. The first stage involved identifying individuals willing to provide their bank accounts.

Thereafter, current accounts were allegedly opened in the names of companies, following which the money obtained through the fraud was routed through multiple bank accounts before being transferred further to conceal its trail.

Police believe the entire mechanism was part of an organised cyber fraud racket designed to evade detection.

The case came to light after a 43-year-old investment professional from Mumbai approached the police with a complaint.

According to investigators, she came across an online share trading advertisement on WhatsApp and clicked on the link provided in the message.

Police said that after accessing the link, the woman was added to a WhatsApp group named ‘Arjun Mehta, Kua Securities, UK’, where several individuals, posing as market experts, regularly shared stock market updates, investment advice and claims of exceptionally high returns in an apparent attempt to gain the confidence of group members.

According to the police, the accused gradually won the victim’s trust through professional-looking conversations and investment discussions.

She was eventually persuaded to register on what was presented as an online trading platform and to download a mobile application that displayed an interface closely resembling a genuine stock trading platform.

Believing the platform to be legitimate, the victim transferred money in multiple instalments from her own bank accounts as well as from the accounts of her family members to various bank accounts provided by the accused.

During the investigation, police found that the fraudsters had allegedly cheated the victim of a total amount of Rs 1,07,37,208.

The Cyber Crime Branch is now examining the financial transactions linked to the accused, tracing the movement of the defrauded funds and identifying other individuals who may have been part of the network.

Investigators are also trying to ascertain whether more investors across different states may have fallen victim to the same modus operandi.

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