Maharashtra
We Say Mumbai Is Safe, But Is It? Students Speak

Mumbai: The horrifying sexual attack on a 20-year-old girl in a local train between Masjid Bandar and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) stations on the Harbour line at 7.28 a.m. has raised ‘security’ concerns. And this time not just about women but particularly students- because the torture and murder of a girl in a Mumbai hostel lastweek still haunts. Are Mumbai’s students not safe either?
Female student commuters from Mumbai who travel on the Harbour Lines at odd hours report feeling uncomfortable both inside the trains and on the platforms due to insufficient protection.
Although policewomen are present at major city railway stations, women commuters at smaller stations suffer the most. Padma Ahale, a student at Sophia College, takes the Harbour Line from Ram Mandir to Bandra and then to her college. “Security is a major concern, especially at smaller stations where there are no police officers on duty all day. I also believe that younger boys should not be allowed to board the ladies’ section, given the increase in juvenile cases,” she argues. Padma believes that it is usually preferable to board a general compartment rather than an empty ladies’ compartment.
One would wonder why Padma takes the Harbour Line when she has direct access to the Western Line. The reason is that the Harbour Line tends to be emptier during non-peak hours as compared to Western Line, which is normally crowded throughout the day.
However, the issue does not end with the lack of police officers at these railway stations. Late at night, some of the busiest and most densely populated stations, such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) or Victoria Terminus (VT), become risky for female commuters. Shalini Shah, an SNDT College student who had to travel at night for research assignments, until recently, says, “I think the ladies’ compartments should be completely closed off because some trains have common coaches separated by only a grille above their seats.” The male gaze makes you feel uneasy, especially if you’re travelling late.”
Last year, Shalini said she witnessed a woman being abused on her way back from CST station. “Perhaps I’ve been fortunate enough not to have encountered an unpleasant incident, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen,” she says. “The offender was seen on CCTV, but by the time the authorities intervened, the culprit had already left,” she continued.
Pearl Karanjia, a student at SVKM’s Mithibai College, on the other hand, has no reservations, even though she travels late on some days. “I’ve travelled on local trains late at night and found them to be mostly safe.” Although stations become isolated late in the evening, passengers can be found in the ladies’ section until 1 AM. Still, as a precaution, one should check the compartment with police officers who are stationed in the ladies’ compartment after 10 p.m. “Also, avoid getting into empty compartments,” Pearl advises.
Crime
Thane Crime Branch Arrests 25-Year-Old Serial Housebreaker, Cracks 9 Theft Cases In Bhiwandi; Seizes Gold Worth ₹5.98 Lakh

Thane: The Thane Crime Branch Unit 2 has arrested a 25-year-old habitual thief and cracked nine house break-in cases reported across Bhiwandi.
Gold Worth ₹5.98 Lakh Recovered from Accused Akash Jadhav
According to police sources, 58 grams of gold ornaments worth ₹5.98 lakh were recovered from the accused’s possession. The suspect has been identified as Akash alias Chinya Jadhav, a resident of the Manpada area in Thane.
The investigation began after an FIR was filed at Narpoli police station for a housebreaking incident involving an unidentified suspect. Crime Branch officials, along with local police, launched a joint investigation. CCTV footage and technical intelligence led to the identification of Jadhav.
A trap was laid, and the accused was apprehended. He was produced in court and remanded to police custody for further investigation.
History of Theft: 9 Cases Registered Across Four Police Stations
During questioning, police discovered that Jadhav has a history of theft, with nine cases registered against him. These include five at Narpoli, two at Bhiwandi City, one at Nizampura, and one at Shantinagar police station.
Police confirmed the recovery of stolen gold ornaments during the arrest. Further investigation is underway.
Maharashtra
Shiv Sena Protests Outside Congress Office Over Ex-Maha CM Prithviraj Chavan’s Controversial Remarks On Malegaon Blast Verdict

Mumbai: Shiv Sena workers staged a protest outside the Congress office on Saturday, slamming senior party leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan over his recent remarks concerning the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case.
The protest came in response to Chavan’s comments following the acquittal of all seven accused in the Malegaon blast case by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court. The court ruled that there was “no reliable and cogent evidence” to support the charges against the accused, which included BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit. The blast, which occurred on September 29, 2008, near a mosque in Malegaon, killed six people and injured 101 others. It took nearly 17 years for the final verdict.
While speaking to media after the court’s decision, Chavan distanced himself from the controversial term “saffron terror.” He stated, “Don’t use the term ‘Saffron terrorism’. If you want to describe such acts, use ‘Hindu fundamentalist’ or ‘Hindu terrorism’ instead.” He also highlighted that saffron is a colour of cultural and religious significance, representing the flag of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Warkari sect, and revered saints like Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar.
However, his choice of alternative phrases sparked outrage among right-wing groups and BJP allies. Shiv Sena, a coalition partner in the Maharashtra government, led the protest, condemning Chavan’s statements. Protesters demanded an apology, accusing the Congress of repeatedly targeting Hindu beliefs under the guise of secularism.
Chavan also responded to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that “no Hindu can ever be a terrorist. “I want to remind Amit Shah that the first terrorist act in independent India was carried out by Nathuram Godse. What was his religion? Terrorism has no religion. This is BJP’s mindset, linking or delinking terrorism based on religious identity.”
Maharashtra
Mithi River Desilting Scam: ED Raids BMC Engineer, Contractors; Freezes ₹47 Crore, Uncovers Civic Nexus

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has frozen assets worth over Rs 47 crore after conducting search operations at eight locations across Mumbai in connection with the ongoing probe into the Rs 65-crore Mithi River desilting scam ,the central agency said on Saturday.
BMC Contractors and Senior Engineer Under Lens
The searches, carried out on July 31 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), were conducted at premises linked to BMC contractors M/s Acute Designs, M/s Kailash Construction Company, M/s Nikhil Construction Co, M/s N A Construction Pvt Ltd, and M/s J.R.S Infrastructure and and BMC’s Deputy Chief Engineer Prashant Krishna Tayshete.
With the latest action, the total value of proceeds of crime seized and frozen in the case now stands at approximately Rs 49.8 crore.
According to officials, the federal agency’s action led to the seizure of several incriminating documents, digital devices, and records of suspicious immovable property transactions, which are now under scrutiny.
The ED initiated its investigation following a case registered at Azad Maidan Police Station, Mumbai, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against 13 individuals and entities, including those mentioned above, for allegedly causing a wrongful loss of over Rs 65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Scam Involved Forged MoUs and Fake NOCs
Evidence gathered during the course of the investigation and search operations has revealed irregularities in the Mithi River desilting contracts. According to the Enforcement Directorate, contractors allegedly colluded with officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Storm Water Drainage (SWD) department to submit forged documents, including fake Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) from landowners and No Objection Certificates (NoCs) from gram panchayats, for lands purportedly used for silt dumping.
Machinery Procurement Manipulated for Kickbacks
The probe has further revealed that certain BMC officials misused their official positions for personal financial gain by manipulating the procurement process. Specifically, expensive machinery such as silt pushers and multipurpose amphibious pontoon machines were allegedly included in the 2021–2022 tenders to benefit select contractors.
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