Viral Dholakia’s thirtieth birthday turned out to be his last. The Kandivli resident became the first victim of the city’s growing water crisis on Thursday when police caned more than 1,000 people protesting outside the BMC headquarters against the shortage.
The demonstration was staged by Swabhimaan, an organisation led by state revenue minister Narayan Rane’s younger son Nitesh. Dholakia, a close aide of Nitesh and a founder member of the organisation, was among them.
After marching from Metro cinema to the civic headquarters shouting slogans against the BMC, the protesters tried to force their way into the building around noon but were prevented by a tight police security cordon.
But even as Nitesh was discussing the water shortage with additional municipal commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh and senior officials of the hydraulic department, an altercation broke out between policemen and the protesters waiting outside.
Senior police officers said the protesters tried to break the police cordon and barge in. Deputy police commissioner Vishwas Nangre-Patil ordered a lathi-charge, they said. Even women, the elderly, and the handicapped were not spared.
The mob flung water bottles at the police as Nitesh arrived on the scene. Three more bouts of lathi-charge followed and several people suffered injuries in the melee.
The injured were rushed to the Sir Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital and Bombay Hospital. According to doctors, at least 19 people were injured in the clash. Dholakia, too, was hurt, though doctors said he suffered no external injuries. He was declared dead on admission.
Nitesh’s personal assistant Vinay Yadav and Congress politician and legislator Kalidas Kolambkar’s son also suffered grievous injuries.
While additional commissioner of police RK Padmanabhan claimed that Dholakia had died of a heart attack suffered due to an existing medical condition, Dholakia’s family cried foul. “He died because of the merciless lathi charge,” a close friend said.
DCP Nangre-Patil said 24 protesters, including Nitesh, were arrested on charges of rioting, damaging public property, and preventing a public servant from discharging his duties.
The Esplanade court sent Nitesh to 14 days’ judicial custody, but he was later released on bail.
Congress politician Kanhaiyalal Gidwani backed the demand made by Nitesh’s supporters for an inquiry into the extent of the police action.
(With inputs from Preety Acharya)
