Mumbai: J Kumar Company is under scrutiny again after the Dindoshi police registered an FIR against its supervisor for allegedly erecting iron barricades in a hazardous manner, leading to injuries to a 12-year-old girl in Malad East. The incident occurred on April 16, and the case was filed on April 20.

Mahendra Shinde, Senior Police Inspector, said the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road work is underway and machinery had been covered with circular barricades. One of these fell on the girl, and the case was registered after the family received the medical report.

The police have booked the supervisor, holding him responsible, and said action will follow as per law. The company did not respond to queries.

According to the FIR, complainant Rutika Mahadik, 26, lives in Pimpripada, Malad East, with her parents and five younger sisters. During the holidays, the children would take nightly walks on a road near Tarmat Company, closed to traffic and used by locals, where 15–20 iron barricades had been erected haphazardly.

On April 16, around 10 pm, four of Rutika’s sisters went for a walk while her 12-year-old sister Trisha played nearby. Around 10.45 pm, a barricade collapsed, injuring her face and causing fractures in both thighs.

She was first taken to Radhakrishna Hospital, then shifted the next day to Kanchi Hospital in Goregaon East for specialised care. On April 19, scan and MRA reports confirmed fractures in both thigh joints, after which the complaint was filed.

The police have registered the case under Sections 125(a) and 125(b) (acts endangering life or personal safety) and Section 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The incident follows a series of safety lapses linked to the company. On April 15, around 4.30 am, a crane deployed for Metro Line 2B work tilted near Asian Heart Hospital in Bandra-Kurla Complex after a mechanical snag while lifting a 140-metric-tonne beam. Traffic was disrupted for hours, and the clearance operation lasted over 14 hours. The MMRDA imposed a Rs 1 crore penalty, citing negligence.

Earlier, on April 8, a hydraulic crane overturned on the Kopri flyover along the Eastern Express Highway in Thane during construction of the Saket elevated corridor, disrupting traffic towards Mumbai.

In August 2025, an iron rod fell from a Metro Line 5 bridge onto a moving autorickshaw, critically injuring a passenger. In another 2025 incident at a Metro Line 9 site in Bhayandar, an iron jack toppled during a U-girder operation; no injuries were reported, but MMRDA imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty.

In 2021, a slab collapse at the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road extension project in BKC left fourteen labourers narrowly escaping injury. In 2017, during Metro Line 7 construction, an iron rod fell onto the Western Express Highway, raising further safety concerns.

Tehran, April 21: Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that US “provocative actions” and ceasefire violations are major obstacles to continuing peace negotiations between the two countries.

During separate phone calls with his Pakistani and Russian counterparts, Araghchi condemned US actions against Iranian commercial shipping, including the reported seizure of the container vessel Touska and its crew, and cited “contradictory positions and rhetoric of threat” from Washington, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

A ceasefire that took effect on April 8 after 40 days of fighting remains fragile. Pakistan has mediated indirect talks between Tehran and Washington, hosting a first round in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but Iran has not confirmed participation in another round, Xinhua news agency reported.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran’s attendance depends on Washington meeting preconditions. It cited a US naval blockade and “excessive demands” as key obstacles.

Araghchi said Iran would decide whether to continue diplomacy based on “all aspects of the issue” and US behavior, adding that Tehran would take steps to protect its interests and national security.

Earlier on Monday, citing “contradictory actions” from Washington, Iran made it clear that it has not made any decision yet on participating in the next round of negotiations with the US.

“So far, we have not made any decisions regarding the next round of negotiations,” said Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, while speaking to reporters at a weekly press conference in Tehran.

The spokesperson criticised the United States, accusing Washington of engaging in contradictory actions while claiming to pursue diplomacy. He mentioned that since the very beginning of the ceasefire, “bad faith and constant complaints” were faced by Iran from Washington.

He clarified that the US initially claimed that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire, despite contrary assertions.

Tensions follow joint US-Israeli attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities beginning February 28, which killed Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior commanders, and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US assets in the Middle East.

Mumbai: To create a mass movement against drug addiction, a special campaign titled “Mumbai Against Drugs” will be launched from May 1 for a period of one year in Mumbai.

“The recent deaths caused by drug overdose are a serious warning that this issue cannot be resolved through police action alone. In this context, under the guidance of Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis ji, a comprehensive anti-drug mass movement is being launched by bringing together all sections of society. Through this initiative, we can build an effective fight against drug abuse,” said Mumbai BJP chief MLA Satam.

The decision was taken during a meeting held on Monday under the chairmanship of Mumbai Suburban Joint Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha and MLA Satam. The meeting was convened to outline and plan this campaign. Mumbai Suburban District Collector, police officials, sports officers, municipal officials, and representatives from various NGOs were also present in the meeting to plan the execution of the “Mumbai Against Drugs” campaign. 

MLA Satam further stated that this campaign will be implemented with the participation of schools, colleges, universities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), religious institutions and major places of worship, resident welfare associations (RWAs), as well as prominent personalities from various fields (celebrities), parent-teacher associations (PTAs), various corporate establishments, and all government offices.

“The objective of this campaign is to create awareness against drug abuse, especially among the youth. Activities will be conducted in colleges, schools, educational institutions, and various establishments where young people are present. The initiative will focus on awareness generation, community engagement, and active public participation to combat drug abuse,” Satam added.