BMC engineer thrashed by MNS goons speaks out

BMC engineer Rajesh Rathod (27) is yet to come to terms with the ordeal he faced on Thursday evening, after he was mercilessly thrashed by an MNS leader and his supporters in his party office in Dadar. Rathod, who was recuperating at civic-run Sion Hospital's, spoke in a feeble voice when MiD DAY visited him on Friday.

Knocked out: BMC engineer Rajesh Rathod

"I am shocked that a nagar sevak could behave like this. The first thing he asked me when I arrived at his office was why I hadn't answered his phone calls, but before I could reply the shutters were downed and he started beating me up. Soon after, six more of his workers joined in," said a barely conscious Rathod.

The junior BMC engineer was recuperating in a private room at the hospital, guarded by a security personnel and his colleagues.

The Dadar resident further said, "I have been working with the civic body for the last seven years but was shifted to the building and factories department two months ago. Since I work with the BMC, we are used to putting up with a certain amount of abuse while on duty but I never expected anything like this to happen to me."

Dr Rakesh Verma, assistant dean of Sion Hospital, said that Rathod's CT scan and X-ray reports showed he did not suffer any internal injuries and his condition is stable as of now.

"It will take me quite a while to recover from this incident as the left side of my face and body are swollen and I am yet in a considerable amount of pain. I had studied hard to become an engineer and bagged this job on merit. Now I wonder what all those efforts have been for -- certainly not to get beaten up black and blue," said Rathod.

Reliving the horrors of Thursday evening, Rathod said the MNS leader had called up about a temporary shed that he wanted removed from the front of his shop. "They threatened me and took me to the shop where the shed was to be demolished, which was a petty issue. The only reason I couldn't answer the phone was because I was riding my bike," he added.

"Rathod was discharged from the hospital on Friday evening as his condition was stable," added Dr Verma. u00a0