Abhishek Ghosalkar shot dead: ‘Mauris wasn’t perfect; but he was not the man made out on social media’

Mauris Noronha’s funeral at Mahalaxmi on Friday

"Mauris was not perfect, but he was not the villain social media users have made him out to be. I will regret what happened for the rest of my life. As much as I am saddened about my daughter losing her father, I feel sad for [Shiv Sena (UBT) leader] Abhishek Ghosalkar's children," said Noronha's wife Sareena, who has come out in support of her deceased husband, who gunned down the former corporator in his IC Colony office before dying by suicide on Thursday.

She added, "I would like to emphasise that one should not trouble anyone so much that the consequences of one's actions become painful. His rivals bear responsibility for whatever has transpired. The criminal cases against Mauris were politically motivated. The rape case against him was orchestrated by his enemies as part of a conspiracy. Apart from this, Mauris did not have any criminal record."

‘He was under pressure'

According to Sareena, after his release from jail, Noronha was under intense pressure. "There were objections to his social work-related banners and posters, and he was prevented from organising events. His enemies even wrote a letter to the US embassy, labelling him a criminal, resulting in Mauris being summoned by the embassy and denied permission to travel to the US without clearing his case immediately after his release on bail. People even tried to stop him from earning a living. "I had never seen Mauris under so much pressure. He often confided in me about his situation. He had said that he would eliminate those responsible but I never thought this would happen. He did not back down."

Police and other law enforcement personnel outside Mauris Noronha's office in IC Colony in the aftermath of the shooting. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Sareena said Noronha's rivals attempted to sway him with money, but he refused. "When someone offered to withdraw the rape case against him and allow him to contest the municipal corporator election, my husband accepted the offer, putting aside past grievances. On this mutual agreement, his enemies persuaded the woman to retract her accusation," she added. Recalling how she learnt about what transpired on Thursday said, "I was in the office when my mother called me and informed me that Abhishek had been shot. Initially, I didn't react, and when a friend called and mentioned that Mauris was involved, I couldn't believe it. However, when a third caller confirmed that Mauris had indeed shot Abhishek and himself, I was utterly shocked. I immediately sent my mother home as my daughter was alone.

Mauris Noronha and Abhishek Ghosalkar minutes before the shooting

My daughter had learned about the incident from a viral video on social media on her mobile phone. Nowadays, whenever she comes across social media posts describing her father as a criminal, which is far from the truth, she feels deeply saddened. She knows that her father wasn't the person portrayed in the media and on social platforms. This has affected her greatly; she has lost her appetite and constantly expresses her longing for her father's return."

Sareena also dismissed claims that Noronha was not allowed to be buried in the local churchyard. "Mauris had spent his childhood in Dhobi Talao. His family members, including his mother, father, brother and other close relatives, are buried in the Mahalaxmi Cemetery. Therefore, it was suggested that he be buried there. The priest not only endorsed this decision but also personally came to the cemetery to conduct the last rites," she added.

Feb 9
Day Noronha was buried

Feb 8
Day Ghosalkar was shot