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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Indian Express
Three minors among five held for vandalising 25 vehicles in Pune's Dhankawadi
Pune city police have arrested two youths aged 19 and 21 and detained three minors aged 16 and 17 in connection to an incident in which a group of miscreants had gone on rampage in Dhankawadi area of Pune in the early hours of Wednesday brandishing weapons and damaging 25 vehicles vehicles including school vans. The incident had taken place between 1 am and 1.30 am on Wednesday at three locations in Dhankawadi including Keshav Complex, Sarasvati Chowk and Navnath Nagar. The probe had revealed suspects who vandalised and damaged vehicles with weapons they had. They allegedly damaged at least 25 vehicles at three locations which are within 500 meters of each other. The group ended up with vehicles including 15 auto rickshaws, three cars, two school vans, a tempo and some bikes. A team from the detection branch of the Sahakar Nagar police station received crucial input that a history sheeter identified as Rohit Adhav was involved in the crime. A team received a tip off that Adhav was coming to the Navale Bridge area. A trap was laid and Rohit Adhav (21), a resident of Kirkatwadi was arrested along with his accomplice Sudhir Bappu Sawant (19), a resident of Goravi Vasti in Nanded City area. Questioning of the arrested duo gave police the names of their minor accomplices. The three minors — one aged 16 and two aged 17 — were detained. 'Investigation has revealed that the group went on rampage over a petty dispute with their friend living in the area. The two arrested accused have been remanded to police custody and three minors have been remanded to observation home.' said Senior Inspector Vitthal Pawar of Sahakarnagar. In a worrying pattern in the case of vehicle vandalism in the city, the year 2024 witnessed a sharp rise in these cases. From 35 cases in 2022 and 53 in 2023, the number cases of vehicle vandalism by local gangs had jumped to 89 in 2024. This had prompted the Crime Branch to conduct a thorough data based analysis of these cases. One of the first results of the study was identification of key hotpots for the cases of vehicle vandalism. Police identified that of the 89 cases reported in 2024, majority cases came from Sahakar Nagar, Parvati, Yerawada, Hadapsar, Kondhwa and Wanawadi police jurisdictions. Of the total of 156 accused identified in 89 cases of 2024, 52 were minors, accounting for a third of the total perpetrators. Police had also found out that 95 per cent of these minor accused had no criminal records prior to the particular vehicle vandalism cases they were booked for. Further, of all other adult accused, only 25 per cent had prior criminal records. Police had initiated a string of policing and sensitisation efforts in these areas in response to the outcomes of the study. The police had intensified the action against these miscreants under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act, 1981 also known as MPDA or Gunda Act.
Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Indian Express
Miscreants go on rampage in Pune's Dhankawadi, vandalise 25 vehicles, including school vans
A group of miscreants allegedly vandalised at least 25 vehicles, including school vans, in the Dhankawadi area of Pune in the early hours of Wednesday. The local police and the Crime Branch have launched a coordinated search for the suspects. The alleged vandalism occurred at three locations—Keshav Complex, Sarasvati Chowk, and Navnath Nagar—between 1 am and 1.30 am, according to the Sahakar Nagar police. Initial investigations suggest at least three suspects on bikes caused the damage, primarily shattering the glass windows with the weapons they were carrying, said a police officer, adding that they targeted locations within 500 metres of each other. The police said the damaged vehicles included 15 auto rickshaws, three cars, two school vans, a tempo and some bikes. 'We have obtained the CCTV footage from the area and will soon nab the suspects,' said Vitthal Pawar, Senior Inspector of the Sahakar Nagar police station. This incident is part of a concerning rise in vehicle vandalism in Pune, with the number of cases increasing from 35 in 2022 to 53 in 2023 and then to 89 in 2024. This had prompted the Crime Branch to conduct a thorough analysis of these cases based on data. One of the first results of the study was identification of key hotspots for the cases of vehicle vandalism. The police found that of the 89 cases reported in 2024, the majority came from Sahakar Nagar, Parvati, Yerawada, Hadapsar, Kondhwa and Wanawadi police jurisdictions. Of the 156 accused identified in 89 cases of 2024, 52 were minors, accounting for a third of the total perpetrators, the police said. The police also found that 95 per cent of these minors had no criminal records before the vehicle vandalism cases for which they were booked. Further, of all other adult accused, only 25 per cent had prior criminal records. The authorities initiated a series of policing and sensitisation efforts in these areas in response to the study's findings. The police also intensified action against these miscreants under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act, 1981, also known as the MPDA or Goonda Act.
Hindustan Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Unified demand for committee to probe CRZ violations on 350-acre Andheri plot
Mumbai: The legislative council on Monday witnessed rare scenes of unity between ruling party and opposition benches as legislators cutting across party lines demanded stringent action against developers accused of illegal destruction of mangroves, unauthorised reclamation of land and violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms on a 350-acre plot in Andheri West. Environment minister Pankaja Munde (Hindustan Times) Environment minister Pankaja Munde said orders would be given for immediate removal of reclamation and she would visit the site personally along with legislators and appoint a committee to probe the matter, if required. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab raised the issue in the legislative council, asking why 70 acres out of the 350-acre plot spread across city survey numbers 161,167,168 and 169 had been excluded from the no development zone. He alleged that the developers – Usha Developers Co-op Housing Society, Billine Impex Pvt Ltd and Pearl Coschem Pvt Ltd – were occupying government land and action should be taken against them under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act. BJP MLC Praveen Darekar, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Sachin Ahir, Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap supported the demands raised by Parab and demanded that a committee be appointed to probe the matter. In response, environment minister Pankaja Munde said the developers had been fined ₹2.22 lakh last year following complaints about reclamation in the buffer zone of mangroves. Another fine worth ₹87.26 crore was levied on the developers in April 2025 as they continued with reclamation activities, the minister said. 'It is a serious matter. Mahalaxmi Enterprises was doing reclamation for the developers…FIR has been lodged in this matter. Though a fine of ₹87.26 crore was imposed, the developers have not paid it. So orders will be given for immediate collection of fines,' Munde said. Given the gravity of the issue, she would personally visit and inspect the site along with legislators and the guardian minister of Mumbai suburban district. 'If required we will set up a committee to probe the matter,' she said. She also informed the council that out of the 70 acres excluded from the no development zone, 35 acres has been allocated to the National Law University, Mumbai. The developers would be booked for mangrove destruction, she said. Deputy chairperson of the council, Neelam Gorhe, asked Munde to visit the site within a week and take a decision on appointing a committee before the end of the monsoon session on July 18. Gorhe also said that Munde and other MLCs needed to request chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to hold a meeting on the issue as many departments were involved.
Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Minister to visit mangrove damage site in Andheri, to form probe panel if necessary
Maharashtra Environment Minister Pankaja Munde on Monday said that she will visit the 300-acre mangrove land in Andheri, part of which is facing reclamation, and conduct a probe through a committee, if necessary. Members from the Opposition and ruling party in the legislative council united over the issue of illegal destruction of mangroves, violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and reclamation by developers to occupy the 300-acre land in Andheri West and demanded stringent action against the developers and officials involved. Munde announced the removal of reclamation and said that she will visit the site personally along with legislators and if required will set up a committee to probe the matter. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab in legislative council raised the issue of illegal destruction of mangroves and illegal reclamation of land to occupy 300 acres of land at Andheri west city survey number 161,167,168, 169 through a calling attention motion. Parab questioned why 70 acres of land was excluded from the no development zone and turned into development zone, and demanded immediate removal of reclamation done by private developers. He alleged that as it is a case of occupying the government land, too, action should be taken under Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act (MPDA). BJP MLC Praveen Darekar, Shiv Sena UBT MLC Sachin Ahir and Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap supported the demands by Parab. All party legislators demanded to set up the committee to probe the matter as it involves various departments. Munde admitted that complaints were received about the reclamation in the buffer zone of mangroves so the government officials imposed a fine of Rs 2.22 lakh last year but as developers continued the reclamation, officials imposed a fine of Rs 87.26 crore in April 2025. 'It is a serious matter and Ms Mahalaxmi Enterprises was doing reclamation for the developers Ms. Usha Developers Co-op. Housing society, Billine Impex Pvt Ltd and Pearl Coschem Pvt Ltd. FIR has been lodged in this matter. Though the fine of 87.26 crore was imposed on the developers they have not paid it. So orders will be given for immediate collection of fines from them. Considering the gravity of the issue, I will personally visit the site along with legislators, guardian minister of Mumbai suburban district and inspect the site. If required, we will set up the committee to probe the matter,' said Munde. Deputy chairperson of council Neelam Gorhe asked Pankaja Munde to visit the site in one week and take a decision about the formation of the committee before the end of the monsoon session of the state legislature on July 18. Gorhe also said that Panjaka Munde and all of us need to request Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to hold a meeting on the issue as many departments are involved in the matter. She also informed that of the total land 70 acres of land was excluded from the no development zone and of that 35 acres has been allocated for the National Law University Mumbai. She also announced that developers will be booked for the destruction of mangroves.
