Maharashtra: A 49-year-old driver lost his life on Saturday evening in Panchavati, Nashik, after a gas cylinder exploded at a welding shop. The tragic incident occurred near Tapovan Corner, along the compound wall of the old bus depot, according to the Panchavati police.

The deceased has been identified as Ramnath Somvanshi, a resident of Swami Samarth Nagar on Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Road. Police said Somvanshi had visited the gas welding shop for work related to his vehicle’s registration number plate.

At the time of the incident, the shop owner was using a gas cutter to remove a tyre nut from a car. Shortly after switching off the cutter, the welding gas cylinder exploded, causing severe injuries to Somvanshi. Despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries.

Following a preliminary investigation, the Panchavati police registered a case under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for causing death by negligence against the welding shop owner on Sunday night.

Officials stated that the shop owner failed to ensure adequate safety measures, despite working with hazardous and explosive materials. Although no arrest has been made so far, the accused has been issued a notice to remain present for further inquiry.

Police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the explosion and assess whether the safety protocols at the site complied with regulations.

Mumbai: The ongoing Maratha reservation agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange Patil at Azad Maidan took a crucial turn today after a delegation of state ministers assured the protestors that the government will issue a Government Resolution (GR) to implement the Hyderabad Gazette. This step would grant Kunbi status to Marathas from the Marathwada region, paving the way for their inclusion in the OBC quota.

According to officials, the GR is expected to be issued within an hour. The development came soon after the Bombay High Court accepted the agitators’ request for a temporary pause in the protest to allow discussions with the government-appointed sub-committee.

Meanwhile, Maratha leaders at the venue appealed to demonstrators, urging that apart from around 5,000 people stationed at Azad Maidan, the rest should proceed towards Navi Mumbai in compliance with the High Court’s directions.

Earlier in the day, Patil had declared that he would not vacate Azad Maidan “even at the cost of his life,” after police served a notice citing violation of the court’s interim order that had outlined conditions for the protest. In response, police teams began clearing agitators gathered at CSMT railway station, while heavy deployment of security personnel was also seen around BMC headquarters and Kila Court, where officers requested people to leave roads and footpaths to maintain order.

The situation remains tense as protestors await the government’s official resolution, while the administration continues to balance law and order with the demands of the Maratha community.

Thane: The Bombay High Court has directed the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to remove a fish market that has been operating on land earmarked as a road in the 1974 Development Plan (DP). The court further instructed the civic body to ensure that compulsory open spaces are not misused for commercial purposes.

The directive came while disposing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2010 by Thane resident Pradip Chandrakant Indulkar, who alleged encroachment and unauthorised commercial activity on a private plot in Panchpakhadi.

According to the PIL, the TMC granted permission to Unit Arsen Developers (UAD) in 1982 to construct a shopping complex on land reserved for a municipal market. However, instead of handing over the complex to the civic body, the developer allegedly sold the shops and commercial spaces to third parties, violating the terms.

Indulkar claimed that when the TMC began demolishing an unauthorised shed in 2006, Congress leader and then-corporator Manoj Shinde obstructed the action, according to a report. A Right to Information (RTI) query later revealed that the shopping complex belonged to Bhadani Brothers through UAD, although no formal agreement was signed with the state government. The building houses shops on the ground floor and a hall and a bank on the upper floors.

The TMC and UAD denied the allegations, stating the land was privately owned and that the construction adhered to norms under the Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act, 1976. They added that parts of the land were allocated for roads, open spaces, utilities, and public services.

The bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne observed that while the land was not owned by the state or TMC, the area was earmarked for a market in the DP. The court rejected the demand for the building’s handover to the TMC but found the pay-and-park facility on compulsory open space to be illegal, directing the civic commissioner to act against it, as reported.