Connect with us
Thursday,28-August-2025
Breaking News

Maharashtra

Navi Mumbai: 8,000 Contractual Workers Announce Indefinite Strike Over Wage Dispute, NMMC Refutes Allegations

Published

on

Navi Mumbai: The ongoing dispute between contractual employees and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) over wage regularization under the Minimum Wages Act has intensified. While the employee union has announced to go on indefinite strike,  civic administration denies the allegations made. 

Indefinite Strike Announced

More than 8,000 contractual workers have announced an indefinite strike starting February 10, citing NMMC’s failure to address their long-standing grievances. “Our demands for equal pay for equal work have been consistently ignored by the administration, leaving the workers with no choice but to go on strike,” said a union member affiliated with the Samaj Samata Kamgar Sangh,

A month-long chain hunger strike had been initiated last year by the union, during which several workers reportedly fell ill and required hospitalization. “Despite this, no concessions were made by the municipal administration,”  claimed a union representative.

NMMC Refutes Allegations

However, NMMC has refuted these claims, maintaining that workers’ welfare has always been prioritized. ” Since its inception, contractual workers have been engaged through contractors for essential services such as sanitation, water supply, and healthcare, with wages being paid as per legal provisions, ” said an official.

Administration further revealed that representations were submitted to the state government on July 25, 2022, and July 18, 2023, seeking guidance on implementing equal pay for equal work for contractual employees. “In response, on September 25, 2024, the state government refused to provide financial assistance, citing existing laws and regulations, and advised NMMC to take necessary action independently,” informed the official. 

Following this, a committee was established to examine legal provisions, prevailing rules, and judicial rulings from the High Court and Supreme Court. A fact-based report is informed to have been  prepared and shared with all workers’ unions “but it was not accepted by the protesting employees. Despite multiple meetings between senior municipal officials and protestors, attempts to convince them to withdraw the strike have been unsuccessful,” said the official. 

The Municipal Commissioner is reported to have personally met the protestors and subsequently ordered the formation of a special committee, led by a retired Additional Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Government. “The committee has been instructed to submit its findings at the earliest, considering the concerns of sanitation workers. The details of this process have been shared with Samaj Samata Kamgar Sangh and seven other workers’ unions.Continuous discussions are said to be underway with all concerned unions to prevent the mass strike and ensure that essential services remain unaffected,” said the official.

Maharashtra

Navi Mumbai Man Arrested For Burning Wife Alive Over Suspected Affair, Daughter Reveals Truth To Police

Published

on

Thane: A man from Navi Mumbai allegedly burnt his 32-year-old wife to death over suspicion of having an extra-marital affair and tried to pass it off as a suicide, police said on Thursday.

Daughter Exposes Father’s Crime

However, his lies were nailed as the couple’s seven-year-old daughter, who apparently witnessed the incident, told the police that her father had set her mother on fire, they said.

The incident took place in the early hours of August 25 at Pagotegaon in Uran area and the accused, aged 35, was arrested the next day, they said.

The accused, Rajkumar Ramshiromani Sahu, suspected his wife Jagrani Rajkumar Sahu of having an extra-marital affair, Uran police station’s senior inspector Hanif Mulani told PTI.

He allegedly tied the victim’s hands and legs, poured kerosene on her, and set her ablaze with a lighter at their home in Uran, he said.

The woman was later rushed to a hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival, the official said.

Man Fakes Wife’s Suicide

The accused had claimed his wife locked herself inside a room in the house and committed suicide, following which a case of accidental death was registered initially, he said.

“But our investigation found discrepancies in his story,” Mulani said.

Further investigation, including the autopsy report and a crucial statement from the couple’s seven-year-old daughter, revealed a very different picture, he said.

“The accused had claimed that his wife locked herself inside the room and committed suicide. But the child’s statement contradicted the husband’s version,” the official said.

Police also examined CCTV footage of the locality and it clearly showed the accused leaving the house in the early hours after the incident, he said.

“This was a vital evidence, contradicting the man’s claim that he was not present at home at the time of the incident,” the official said.

Husband Arrested for Murder

Based on the medical and forensic evidence and version of the eyewitness, the Uran police registered a case against the accused under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 103(1) (murder) on August 26 and arrested him, he said.

“It a clear-cut case of murder. We have no doubt that this was a brutal act of domestic violence,” the official said.

Further probe was on into the case.

Continue Reading

Crime

Thane Crime: Firing In Ulhasnagar Over Family Dispute; One Injured By Gunshot, Another Attacked With Sword

Published

on

Thane: A shocking act of violence erupted late Monday night in the Sainath Colony area of Ulhasnagar, where a long-standing family dispute turned dangerous. One person was seriously injured after being shot, while another was attacked with a sword.

The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of Hillline Police Station and has sparked fear among residents. Upon receiving the alert, the police rushed to the scene, conducted a panchnama, and launched an investigation. Special teams have been deployed to locate and apprehend the attackers.

According to reports, tensions between the accused and the victim’s family had been simmering for the past few days. On Monday night, the situation escalated drastically. The accused reportedly used firearms and a sword during the attack.

The victim injured in the firing has been admitted to a private hospital in Thane in critical condition. The second victim is also receiving medical treatment for sword-related injuries.

DCP Sachin Gore confirmed that the violence stemmed from a family dispute. He stated, We have identified the accused, and they will be arrested soon. Citizens are urged not to fall prey to any rumours, as reported.

A large police presence has been deployed in Ulhasnagar to maintain peace and ensure public safety. Hillline Police are also examining CCTV footage and continuing their investigation into the case.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Virar Building Collapse: Death Toll Rises To 14 As NDRF And Emergency Teams Continue Rescue Operations

Published

on

Palghar: The death toll has risen to 14 after a portion of a building collapsed in the Virar area of Palghar district, officials confirmed on Thursday. During the rescue operations conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), two people were rescued, and one person sustained injuries.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed two teams from its 5th battalion to the site.

Four-Storey Building Collapses in Virar

A section of the Ramabai Apartment, a four-storey building in Virar East, Palghar district, collapsed late Tuesday night, claiming two lives and injuring several others, officials said on Wednesday.

“14 people died when the rear portion of a four-storey Ramabai Apartments building located between Chamunda Nagar and Vijay Nagar on Narangi Road in Vasai collapsed yesterday. Rescue operations are underway,” NDRF said in a statement.

Further details are awaited.

In the initial manual and canine search, four people were pulled out; one was declared dead on site, and three were rescued alive. Tragically, a one-year-old child succumbed while being transported to the hospital.

Mumbai, Palghar NDRF Units Deployed

According to NDRF Deputy Commander Pramod Singh, “Two teams of the NDRF responded to the accident site–one from Mumbai and one from Palghar. As soon as the information was received at 12 am, the nearest team responded immediately.”

Emergency services, including the fire brigade and local police, are actively involved alongside NDRF teams. Authorities have set up barricades to maintain crowd control and are assessing the structural integrity of adjacent buildings. Several residents in adjoining buildings have been temporarily evacuated as a precautionary measure.

The incident occurred around 12:00 a.m., when the rear portion of the building collapsed onto an adjacent chawl, trapping multiple residents beneath the debris.

The rescued are receiving treatment at hospitals in Virar and Nalasopara, with some in serious condition.

Authorities are continuing their search to ensure no one remains trapped and are investigating the cause of the collapse further.

Continue Reading

Trending