Latest news with #SameerShaikh
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Colaba BMC school shutdown: Lack of devices, poor internet push hundreds of students out of class
MUMBAI: Nearly a month after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared two buildings of the Mumbai Public School in Colaba unsafe and moved 1,500 English-medium students to online classes, the experiment is collapsing. Families say the lack of devices, poor internet connectivity and absence of a structured routine have left hundreds of children without access to education — with many simply dropping out. Mumbai, India – 10, Aug 2025: Mumbai Public School at Colaba, in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, Aug 10, 2025. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) The school at A M Sawant Marg was shut on July 15 after the BMC's School Infrastructure Cell (SIC) categorised one building as C1 (dilapidated) and ordered the demolition of both structures. While students from Marathi, Hindi, Kannada and Urdu sections were shifted to other municipal schools, there was no physical relocation for the two English-medium sections from kindergarten to Class 8. For children in Ambedkar Nagar and Ganesh Murti Nagar, where most of the students live, virtual classes have proved unworkable. Many households have just one smartphone — if any — which must be shared among siblings and working parents. Mobile data is costly and unreliable, and the narrow lanes and crowded rooms offer no quiet place to study. Sameer Shaikh, a tourist guide at the Gateway of India, has four children who have not attended a single complete class since the closure. 'We have one phone, which I need for work. They take turns, but it's impossible to keep up. No one told us the school was shutting until it happened,' he says, still paying monthly instalments on the phone he bought on EMI. Parents say the closure has disrupted children's lives far beyond academics. 'Two of my daughters haven't been to school for over a month,' says Neru Rathod, father of three. 'Even when my eighth-grade daughter uses my phone, I don't know if she's attending class or just playing games. In our community, children are often seen outside playing during school hours now.' Some parents recall being assured of a quick solution. 'They told us it would reopen within ten days,' says Charan Rathod, whose sixth-grade daughter Kritika now spends her mornings chasing a stable network signal. 'We've had no updates since. Authorities promised to shift students to another school, but nothing has happened.' Antu Rathod, whose son Krishna was in Class 8, says the uncertainty is demoralising. 'He went to school on June 12, then in July they said stop coming. We live ten minutes away, yet now he has nowhere to go for classes.' The 60-year-old school, established in 1964, has educated generations in Colaba's fishing villages, slums and chawls. Known for committed teachers and good results, it was a preferred choice for working-class families. Community representatives have questioned why both buildings were shut simultaneously, pointing out that one was categorised as C2 — needing major repairs but not demolition. 'They could have demolished one and kept the other open,' says a local activist. Former corporator Makarand Narwekar has been working to find an interim solution. He took parents to inspect Mukesh Mills, where a temporary cabin system was suggested, and negotiated with MTNL for its building. Rent demands — initially ₹22 lakh, later reduced to ₹16 lakh — stalled the talks. 'Every week lost makes it harder to bring these kids back to learning,' he warns. Narwekar says other spaces, such as the World Trade Centre, could be considered. On August 6, Narwekar wrote to civic commissioner and administrator Bhushan Gagrani, and to the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, urging immediate action. His letter calls for the identification of temporary learning spaces and an urgent meeting with local representatives, school authorities and parents. 'This is how dropouts happen,' he says. 'This is how kids go astray.' BMC education officer Sujata Khare says some children have been shifted to other schools but accommodating all 1,500 remains a challenge. 'We are exploring nearby spaces to relocate the students,' she said. Deputy municipal commissioner (Education) Prachi Jambhekar has previously stated that no suitable welfare or amenity spaces are available in the vicinity, and the Colaba Market location used for some students was only freed after the election office vacated it.
Indian Express
14-06-2025
- Indian Express
Three kids among four died after dumper hits bike in Govandi
Four persons including three kids aged 9 to 11 years died after a speeding dumper hit a two-wheeler they were travelling on in the Govandi area on Saturday. The dumper driver has been arrested. Local residents who gathered on the road in high numbers staged a protest against the incident. According to DCP Zone 6, Sameer Shaikh, on Saturday around 3.45 pm, a speeding private dumper hit a two-wheeler from behind, resulting in an accident at Lotus junction under the jurisdiction of Deonar police station. Due to the impact, a man and three kids travelling on the two-wheeler fell down and sustained serious injuries. They were rushed to Rajawadi and Shatabdi hospitals in Govandi but were declared dead on arrival by the doctors, the police said. The deceased have been identified as Sakinaka resident Noor Mohammed Gelen, 42, his son Aryan, 11 and his nephews Mohammed Hussain Khan, 11, and Abdul Gani Khan, 11. They were going to Deonar from Sakinaka. The incident sparked outrage among locals who gathered on the road and staged a protest and also damaged the private dumper involved in the accident. The police had to resort to lathicharge and detain some protestors to disperse the crowd. Detained locals were taken to the Shivaji Nagar police station. Meanwhile, the driver of the dumper escaped from the spot, fearing people would beat him. He informed his employer, who contacted police and the driver was arrested. He has been charged under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Time of India
Sanvordem resident found murdered in UP
Margao: A 32-year-old man from Guddemol, Sanvordem, who was missing for over a week, was found murdered in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Sameer Shaikh was discovered dead after his family reported him missing on June 3. Police said that his body was found wrapped in clothing at a place in Ghaziabad. Shaikh's sister said he was working with an NGO in Pune and returned home on May 25 for the Eid. 'He was supposed to return to work after Eid, but he cut his visit short. He told us he was called for an urgent meeting in Delhi and left Goa on May 30,' she said. The family members approached the police after he failed to answer their calls and did not report back to his workplace as scheduled. Acting on information from his last known mobile phone location, Curchorem police were able to trace Shaikh's whereabouts to Ghaziabad, from where his body was recovered. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Time of India
Teenage Bike Thief Caught Red-Handed by Ganeshpeth Police
Nagpur: A teenager, married at only 13 years of age, and already entrenched in a life of crime, was apprehended by Ganeshpeth police for masterminding multiple motorcycle thefts. Driven by the thrill of joyrides with friends and the lure of quick cash, the teenager earned notoriety as a prolific bike thief, keeping the city's police on high alert. The Ganeshpeth Police, led by senior inspector Machhindra Pandit, recovered five stolen motorcycles, abandoned across various locations after joyrides, following the suspect's rounding up on June 5. The action occurred when the police team, including head constable Sameer Shaikh and Vaibhav Jadhav — who had earlier nabbed the same teenager — spotted him acting suspiciously near a parking slot at Central Ganeshpeth bus stand. The case is now being probed by investigation officer, sub-inspector Malhari Doiphode. Caught preparing to steal another bike, the juvenile, identified as a child in conflict with law, confessed to stealing a black Honda CB Shine (MH 49 BJ 8039) from Bajeria. Further interrogation led to the recovery of four additional stolen motorcycles: a Hero Honda Splendor Plus, a Honda Splendor Plus, a Honda Splendor, and a Pulsar 220, collectively valued at approximately Rs1.85 lakh. The case originated from a complaint filed by Pravin Gaudiya, a 41-year-old Bajeria resident, who reported his Honda CB Shine missing on May 25. The theft occurred after Gaudiya parked and locked his motorcycle outside his home on May 24, only to find it gone the next morning. The Ganeshpeth police registered the case under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on June 6 and launched an investigation. The teenager's early marriage and exposure to criminal influences fuelled his descent into delinquency, said police. His passion for reckless rides and peer pressure played a significant role in his criminal activities. The police are now probing potential links to a larger theft network. The juvenile was handed over to authorities for proceedings under the Juvenile Justice Act. This case underscores the rising issue of juvenile crime in Nagpur, prompting calls for community intervention and stronger preventive measures.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Sambhajinagar police rescue 86 cattle stocked illegally for Eid sacrifice
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In a surprise crackdown following directives by CP Sandip Patil, ahead of Eid-Ul-Azha, city police on Wednesday rescued 86 cattle allegedly stocked illegally for sacrificial purposes. The animals, collectively valued at over Rs20 lakh, were found kept in cramped and cruel conditions across multiple locations between noon and 8pm. In the largest seizure, 72 bovines worth Rs17.90 lakh were found at a property on City Chowk–Kile Ark Road linked to Sameer Shaikh. Two people— Mirza Anis Beg Mirza Hameed Beg and Nadeem Khan Naim Khan— were named as accused in this case. In a separate operation near the road leading to the Cancer Hospital, police recovered six more cattle worth Rs85,000 from a dilapidated structure owned by Istiyaq Babumiya Qureshi. Another seizure was made between 5:30pm and 6pm at Chittekhana Kabristan, where two cattle valued at Rs16,000 were found tied with extremely short ropes. In a subsequent raid around 6pm to 7pm at Jalal Colony under Begumpura police station limits, six additional bovines worth Rs1.4 lakh were found in Qureshi's premises. "These animals were gathered in violation of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act and were being stocked ahead of Eid. They were kept in inhumane conditions, tied with short ropes and hidden in abandoned buildings to avoid public attention," said deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) Shilwant Nandedkar, who supervised the operation. In the FIRs registered separately at the City Chowk and Begumpura police station, offences under Section 11(1)(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act along with Sections 5(a), 5(b), and 9 of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, 1976 were registered. All rescued cattle have been sent to shelters, and veterinary teams have begun health assessments.
