Mumbai: After a year, there has been no significant progress in the drug-planting incident in Kalina involving four police personnel. The incident occurred on August 30, 2024. However, the police registered an FIR against the four personnel only after more than three months, following directions from the Human Rights Commission. Apart from this, there has been no major development in the case.

The Vakola police have neither taken any action against the accused nor filed a chargesheet or properly recorded eyewitness statements. They have also not added additional NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) sections to the case, applying only bailable sections instead. As a result, the accused were granted anticipatory bail.

The victim’s lawyer, Advocate Akshay Bhole, stated, “There has been no progress in the case and no chargesheet has been filed. The police have not contacted us. The victim has been at home for a year, as no one is willing to offer him a job out of fear. The Human Rights Commission’s hearing date is scheduled for December.”

The incident dates back to August 30, 2024, when PSI Vishwanath Omble and three constables — Imran Shaikh, Sagar Kamble, and Yogendra Shinde (also known as Dabang Shinde) — in plain clothes from the Khar police station visited Shahbaz Khan’s livestock farm in Kalina, Santacruz East, where Dylan Estbeiro, 31, was working. They allegedly frisked Dylan and planted 20 grams of mephedrone in his pocket during a staged search, later accusing him of drug possession.

The entire incident was captured on CCTV, which was later reviewed and shared publicly by Shahbaz Khan. Following the release of the footage, Dylan was released by the Khar police. The video sparked public outrage, prompting then-Deputy Commissioner Raj Tilak Roushan to suspend all four police personnel on August 31. Dylan told FPJ, “It has been one year since the incident occurred, yet there has been no major development in the case.

The investigating officer has also been changed. The police came to my residence and told my father that I should visit the police station after Ganapati. My career is over, and I do not know when I will get a new job. The police have not added NDPS sections so far against the accused police personnel.”

Mumbai: Six minors – three girls and three boys – aged between 12 and 17 have gone missing within just 24 hours between August 27 and 28, officials said on Sunday.

The sudden spate of disappearances has left both parents and the police deeply concerned. Missing complaints have been registered at Shivaji Nagar, Malad, Kurar, and Ghatkopar police stations. Police have registered kidnapping cases against unidentified persons and launched a probe.

So far, no ransom calls have been reported, though officials said all possibilities are being examined, including the likelihood of elopement in a few cases.

To intensify the search, police have circulated photos of the missing children across crowded city areas including railway stations, bus depots, hospitals, and other public places. Special ‘missing squads’ have been activated in all police stations.

Despite claims by the Railways that suburban train services are operating normally, thousands of commuters across Mumbai faced severe inconvenience on Monday due to the ongoing Maratha reservation protest. Chaos gripped Central Line stations, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), which were overwhelmed with protesters.

Large crowds of demonstrators occupied platforms, leaving little to no walking space for passengers. Boarding and deboarding trains became a major struggle. Protesters were seen shouting slogans and dancing on platforms, causing further disruption. Although security personnel were deployed at key stations, they appeared ineffective in controlling the crowd. Protesters were seen arguing with officers who attempted to stop them.

The impact was felt even more drastically on the city’s bus transport system. Several key routes operated by Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) were either curtailed or diverted, forcing thousands of office-goers to walk long distances to reach their destinations.

According to the BEST control room, several roads in South Mumbai were either blocked or overcrowded, making it impossible to maintain bus schedules. Police closed multiple major roads, including:

Jagannath Bhosale Marg

Mahapalika Marg

DN Road

Hajari Somani Marg

Madam Cama Road

JJ Bridge Road

Due to the closure of Jagannath Bhosale Marg, bus routes 25, 45, C-10, 86, and 305 were diverted via Sant Sevalal Chowk, Rambhau Salaskar Marg, Mahadev Chowk, MK Road, and Poddar Chowk.

Similarly, Bhagat Singh Road near the GPO was completely blocked, suspending bus operations in that area. The closure of Mahapalika Marg led to the diversion of routes 66, 69, 126, and 28 via MG Road and Hutatma Chowk.

With DN Road shut down, buses on routes 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 14, 25, 45, 51, 10, 103, 124, 126, and 69 were rerouted via MG Road towards Metro, LT Road, and Crawford Market.

The closure of Hajari Somani Marg forced rerouting of routes 1, 6, 9, 19, 21, 26, 25, 14, 45, 51, 66, 8, and 69 via Metro Cinema.

Additionally, JJ Bridge was closed for both heavy vehicles and buses from 9:35 AM onward, leading to further diversions and curtailments.

With key transport arteries blocked and services running off-schedule or not at all, large parts of Mumbai witnessed a near shutdown in mobility. Office-goers, students, and daily wage workers bore the brunt of the disruptions.