Maharashtra: Villagers beat up MMRDA officials over action against illegal buildings

Photo for representational purpose

An irate mob of villagers manhandled and beat up officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Development Authority (MMRDA) who had gone to Kasheli and Kalher villages in Maharashtra's Thane district to demolish illegal buildings, police said on Friday.

The incident took place on Thursday when at least 25 people, led by Devanand Thale, deputy chief of the Shiv Sena's Thane district rural unit, attacked officials who had come to the village in Bhiwandi taluka with bulldozers, an official said.

The MMRDA has been tearing down illegal structures in and around Bhiwandi since the last two weeks as per the direction of the Bombay High Court, it was stated.

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A video of the incident, which went viral on social media, shows the mob beating up MMRDA officials, even as police personnel tried to intervene and protect them.

Villagers have alleged that the MMRDA was not following proper procedure while taking action against illegal buildings.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner of police (Bhiwandi zone) Yogesh Chavan said MMRDA officials are required to give seven days' notice before taking such actions, and the matter would be brought to the notice of senior officials he said.

The Narpoli police have registered an offence under relevant sections of the IPC and Maharashtra Police Act, against people involved in the attack, while no arrests have been made so far, senior inspector Maloji Shinde said.

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