Celebrating Durga Puja on the move

Mumbai, October 9, 2010

SHORT STORIES
The international airport cargo
employees after their strike was
called off on Friday —BL Soni DNA
Season ticket passengers of Panchvati Express form a mandal,
install an idol in train to be able to celebrate the festival p7
Maximum City 2
Life lost and found: From sex workers to cabbies
Sunchika Pandey looking for a job. She considered Veera — Sanskrit for courageous mitment to work, but what if
herself fortunate when she land- woman — initiated by the Lions someone discovers my past and
“I’ve been through a lot and now ed one faster than she had ex- Club. The programme is meant to tries to humiliate me,” she says.
I hope my life takes a turn for the pected. The horror unfolded soon. benefit women from the margin- It’s a genuine concern and the Res-
good,” says Sudarshana, as she “I was in shock when I realised alised sections of the society. Ac- cue Foundation is aware of it.
looks up at the sky and thanks that I had been trapped into join- cording to Lions Club office-bear- “Many are working with some
somebody up there. Just 22 and al- ing the flesh trade,” she recounts ers, the three-month training will renowned hospitals, in malls and
ready scalded by nasty experi- and adds, “I lived that horror for equip the women not only with petrol pumps. But none want their
ences in the city’s dark alleys, this four long months. It seemed like driving skills and knowledge of real identity to be revealed. Often
former commercial sex worker life had come to a dead end.’’ traffic rules but also teach them employers are unaware they are
has a lot to thank for indeed. Shift- She was lucky, unlike a thou- etiquette and self-defence tech- rescued sex workers. It’s an un-
ed out of flesh trade by the Rescue sand others like her forced into niques like martial arts. derstanding we have with place-
Foundation, she will soon be be- the trade. A smile crosses her face “We are taking precautions to ment agencies,” says Triveni Ach-
ginning life afresh. She is train- when she remembers being res- protect the woman drivers. There arya, the president of the founda-
ing to be a cab driver. cued from Ghatkopar in May 2005. will be a screen separating the tion. The Veera Project has set a

Mukesh Trivedi DNA

> Bird damages engine,
grounds Mum-Delhi flight
A Kingfisher airways Mumbai-
Delhi flight was delayed by a
bird-hit during take-off for more
than two hours on Friday. Flight IT
331, an Airbus 321 with 120
passengers on board, had taken off
at 6.21am when a bird hit its right
engine. It touched down within 12
minutes, and the airline’s
engineers found the engine
damaged. An alternate aircraft was
arranged for the passengers.
“Driving gives me a sense of
control. It’s like I’m controlling
my life and giving it direction
with the steering wheel,” she
says. The past still haunts her
though. She landed in Mumbai
from Karnataka in February 2005
LAW KEEPERS ARE
LAW BREAKERS
Seniors want tough lesson for cop
“May 17,’’ she mentions the date driver from the passengers. There target to get 500 ready by 2012. The
with absolute clarity. is an emergency alarm system in job, of course, brings in money, but
Now, she looks at the future the cars,” said an office-bearer. for Sudarshana, Meenaxi and
with a lot of hope. Sudarshana is Sudarshana has no issues with many other sex workers rescued
one of the three rescued sex work- being identified, but Meenaxi, an- from Pune and Thane, it’s much
ers training as woman taxi driv- other rescued woman, is worried. more than money. It’s an opportu-
ers under a programme called “I am willing to bring my com- nity to resurrect their dignity. I hope my life takes a turn for the good, says Sudarshana
The image of the police force has again taken a beating after a 20-year-old girl said a constable had
raped her. Officers say the best way to salvage the reputation is to give exemplary punishment Nair baby
swap: DNA

> Frauds transfer Rs62K

from manager’s account
test is must,
Gamdevi police have registered a
case of online debit card fraud
Somendra Sharma
The constable say parents
April 21, 2005: Constable Sunil
after Rs62,000 was transferred
online from the account of a sales
manager using his debit card
More raped a 17-year-old college
girl inside a police chowky at Ma-
dragged her Sunchika Pandey

number, CVV number and other

account numbers. Complainant
rine Drive.
October 17, 2005: Head constable
Chandrakant Pawar posted at Sa-
Gautam Mitra, 28, came to know of
the transfer on receiving his
monthly statement from the bank,
har police station raped a 15-year-
old ragpicker near the police sta-
tion itself.
which showed the deduction
without Mitra having withdrawn
October 3, 2010: Constable
Dhananjay Madne and his friend
the amount.
raped a 20-year-old girl at a cot-
tage in Manori, Gorai.
> State orders fresh survey
of Wakf board property The Mumbai Police, hoping to
salvage its image tarnished by
Nearly 12 years after Muslim
various incidents in the past, has
organisations raised objections
over the survey of 92,000 acres of again lost its reputation because
land belonging to the Wakf board, of a deviant constable who raped
the state minority development a 20-year-old on October 3 in
ministry has appointed district- Gorai. The matter has once again
level officials to survey the sparked debates about the credi-
bility of the police force and has
properties. The 1997 survey
allegedly had huge irregularities, compelled people of the city to
over which the Muslim community wonder how safe women are in
had raised objections. Mumbai.
Senior officers say they usu-
> Social welfare inspector ally prefer to take stern action
against their men who get in-
caught taking bribe
volved in such acts, but by then,
An inspector from the district the image of the police already
social welfare department has taken a beating.
been arrested by officials of the According to a senior officer,
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for immediate action in such cases is
demanding and accepting a bribe the best thing that needs to be
of Rs10,000 from a student to
done to check the damage done to
provide him with a caste
the reputation of the police force.
certificate. The arrested person “Taking exemplary administra-
has been identified as Arvind tive action and dismissing the er-
Shinde who works in Chembur. rant officer concerned is the best
“Shinde was caught accepting the thing that can be done in such
money,” said addl commissioner cases,” said an IPS officer.
of police, ACB, Niket Kaushik. Another officer pointed out:
“As far as the image of the po-
inside a room Accusations of baby swapping
at BYL Nair Hospital has
opened a Pandora’s box and
and raped her questions pertaining to securi-
ty measures in civic hospitals
have started pouring out. DNA
Manish K Pathak had reported on Thursday how
Prabhat and Aradhana Mishra
The 20-year-old girl, who was al- are in a dilemma about the iden-
(Left) Accused Arshad legedly raped by a police consta- tity of their newborn child after
Ali Naqwi (in striped ble and his friend at a cottage in an anonymous caller informed
shirt) and constable Manori, narrated to the police them that their baby boy was
Dhananjay Madhave how the accused befriended her swapped with a baby girl.
(in red t-shirt) being on finding her alone in a hookah On Friday, the hospital left
taken away by parlour in Goregaon. no stones unturned to con-
policemen on Friday; The victim said that around vince the Mishra couple that
(above) The 20-yr-old 10pm on October 2, she left her the child is indeed theirs. “We
rape victim at Gorai Khar residence following an argu- have shown all records to the
police station ment with her boyfriend, Sunny family. There were only two
—Pramod ThakurDNA Singh. She then took a rickshaw boys born that night, one four
and headed towards Goregaon. hours before their girl and the
“She went to Royal Smoke par-
FOR 10 MONTHS, HE DIDN’T COME TO WORK Constable befriends lonely lour at SV Road in Goregaon (W) HC GUIDELINES
where Dhananjay Madne [the
> Dhananjay Madne had joined the police force girl, rapes her in Manori constable] and Arshad Ali were > CCTV and 24-hr security
in 2006 and after completing his training, he already present along with a at all entry-exit points
was attached to the Local Arms Division IV at
From p1
friend, Kritika. The victim > Public address system,
Marol in 2007. Police sources said Madne had “We arrested Madne and Ali from the par- seemed depressed and on seeing LCD/DVD players are a
not been reporting to work since December lour on Thursday night and handed them her alone, Kritika approached must at important places
last year. Madne, a resident of Mira Road, over to the Gorai police station for ques- her and asked her to join the
lives with his mother group,” said senior inspector > Footprints, finger prints,
tioning,” Paithankar said. “We are also in- special birth marks,
vestigating Kritika’s role in the episode Surendra Paithankar of the
> Assistant commissioner of police UA biometric identification
Khairmode of LA IV said several memos had and trying to gather evidence before ar- Goregaon police station.
should be done in 2 hrs
been issued to him asking him the reason for resting her,” said MA Bakade, senior police As the victim was feeling lone-
not coming to work, but Madne has not paid inspector with the Gorai police station. ly, she joined them. Around 6am, > No infant can be taken
Madni and Ali have been sent to the Nag- they left the parlour. “Kritika in- out of hospital without
any heed
pada government hospital for medical ex- vited her to go with them to their the permission of the
> Arshad Ali, a resident of Mira Road, is a BSc amination and will be produced before the Malad residence and take rest,” sister in-charge. Staff at
student in a college in the same area Borivli court today. said Paithankar. neonatal/post-natal
They left in an autorickshaw. ward should wear
On reaching Gorai, the victim uniform with IDs

WEATHER & ALMANAC

Temperature Forecast Sky condi-
lice is concerned, it is already
very low. In fact, it’s a good op-
portunity for seniors to take
strict action in order to uplift the
We had fought the night she left asked them about the location.
Kritika then told her they had
changed the plan and were on
their way to Water Kingdom for
other six hours after her,” ex-
plained Dr Ravi Rananavare,
dean of the hospital.
Maximum
Minimum
34o C
27o C
tions would be partly
cloudy
image, instead of lamenting that
department’s name is getting
spoiled.”
Eminent lawyer and former
for Goregaon, says boyfriend a picnic. “When they reached the
Manori village in Gorai around
7am, they booked a cottage there.
The victim told us that after en-
“Only a DNA test will satis-
fy us,” said an angry Suresh
Chandra Mishra, grandfather
of the newborn.
Humidity 89% Manish K Pathak
IPS officer YP Singh said the con-
stable, who raped the girl in
Sunny Singh said he had they raped her,” Singh said,
adding that on October 3, he
tering in the cottage, Madne and
Ali dragged her inside a room
This is not the first such in-
cident in a civic hospital. In
Sunrise 6.31 am to convince her to lodge
Gorai, had acted like a deviant Sunny Singh, the boyfriend of called her up, but could not get and raped her,” Paithankar said. January 2009, Mohan and Mo-
Tides
Sunset 6.21 pm
High 12.31am 4.86m
citizen. the rape victim, said his partner complaint with the police. through because her cellphone “After the incident Kritika took hini Nerurkar, a Chembur-
“If policemen indulge in such was shattered by the incident, was switched off. the victim to her house in Mira based couple, reported that
Moonrise 7.54 pm 12.28pm 4.45m
acts, it is a serious matter for the and it took a lot of effort to con- She was in shock and “Later, her phone was an- Road in the afternoon, and they their three-day-old boy was
Low 6.33am 0.90m
Moonset 7.27 pm
6.41pm 0.04m
department. It is certainly an un- vince her to register a police com- was really shattered swered by a man who started spent the day there. The same day kidnapped from Sion Hospital.
becoming conduct and is in vio- plaint against the rapists. abusing me. After three days, evening, they returned to the Following the allegations, the
Saturday, October 9, 2010 lation of the Maharashtra Civil “I have known her for the past she escaped from their clutches hookah parlour and after spend- high court ordered that civic
Shri Vikram Samvat 2067, Sake Era 1932, Sun Service rules. It’s a fit case for two and a half years. She worked friend told him that she had gone and told me about the incident,” ing a few hours there, they left for hospitals need to put into place
Dakshinayan, Dakshin Gole, Sharad Ritu, the constable to be dismissed as a telephone operator in my of- to a hookah parlour at Goregaon. he said. their respective residences,” said proper security measures.
Ashwin Shukla Paksha Dwitiya till 5.59pm, from service with immediate ef- fice. She stayed with her mother “She said she was approached Singh went along with her at another police officer. “The court asked BMC to file
Nakshatra Swati till 12.29am, Yoga Viskumbha fect,” Singh stated, adding that in Andheri, but recently she shift- by a girl, who was accompanied the Goregaon police station and The victim told the police that a compliance affidavit. Since
till 1.59am, Karan Balav till 7.24am and after the police should investigate ed to a rented accommodation in by two persons. They then invit- filed a police complaint. “I had on October 6, Ali called her up the civic body has been avoid-
that Kaulav till 5.59pm and after that Taitil till whether there was any element Khar. On October 2, we argued ed her to their place. As my girl- to convince her to lodge a police several times and asked her to ing it, the matter was adjourned
4.49am, and Gar starts of consent in the incident, and over something at night, after friend was alone, she joined complaint. We have idea who meet him. When she refused, Ali twice. The hearing is now
also how the girl landed at which I went to sleep. I did not them. Later, they kidnapped her was the girl that approached my warned her of dire consequences. scheduled for October 11,” said
Rahu Kala : 9am to 10.30am Manori with the duo. know when she left the house,” and confined her for two days in girlfriend at the parlour,” Singh A scared victim then informed Amit Karkhanis, advocate rep-
Yam Ganda : 1.30pm to 3pm Singh said, adding that his girl- a room at Manori village where added. her boyfriend about the incident. resenting the Nerurkars. “The
Best Period : 7.30am to 9am and affidavit will be filed on Oct 11,”
5.30pm to 7.30pm Dismissing the errant officer concerned is the best thing that can be done in such cases—A senior IPS officer said Manisha Mhaiskar, addl
municipal commissioner.

NGO ORGANISES ONE-ACT PLAY COMPETITION ONLY FOR MEDICS

Doctors self-medicate with theatre

Man held
for cheating
Grenade explosion kills
Ninad Siddhaye

Doctors are trained to always

look serious and never
emote. But once every year, a
growing bunch of medical
professionals in the western
suburbs gather to turn this
notion on its head.
Anwiti, a non-profit or-
ganisation of doctors has
been organising a one-act
play competition exclusive-
ly for the medical commu-
nity, and this Sunday will see
the third year of the unique
face-off in which four
groups of doctors will take
centre stage.
The state has a legacy of
doctors who have made it big
in the field of acting, be it the-
atre, cinema or television.
Legends such as Dr Sreeram
Lagu, Dr Kashinath
Ghanekar, as well as the new
breed comprising Dr Girish
Oak and Dr Amol Kolhe have
shown that a doctor need not
DOCS IN THE ACT: Medical professionals rehearse ahead
of the one-act play competition on Sunday
only be a stethoscope-wield-
ing Stoic, but can also be so-
cially and culturally vibrant.
Taking inspiration from
these stalwarts, four doctors
from the western suburbs —
Dr Sanjy Talgaonkar, Dr Sa-
chit Dhulap, Dr Prashant
Naik and Dr Kaiwalya
Thakur — joined forces three
years ago and decided to start
a one-act play competition.
“The only condition is that
the actors in the play must be
doctors. This competition
was conceptualised by like-
minded doctors to do some-
thing different from their
routine work,” said Dr Tale-
gaonkar.
The competition is among
a series of other activities
promoted by the organisa-
tion, which includes blood
donation camps, seminar on
health awareness in schools,
and informative lectures
about herbal medicines,
among others.
“Being doctors, we under-
stand the feelings of our
friends. Many people think
that a doctor has no emo-
tions. However, we have
many amongst us who are
poets, as well as writers. The
one-act play competition is
just another platform for doc-
tors to showcase their skills,”
said Dr Kaiwalya Thakur.
This year’s competition will
be held in the auditorium of
Sathye College in Vile Parle
(East). Noted Marathi actor
Vinay Apte will be the chief
guest for the prize distribu-
tion ceremony.
actor wife
Shahkar Abidi
A Juhu-based actress has
lodged a case against her
husband and his two broth-
er-in-laws from his first mar-
riage for cheating and threat-
ening her.
The police said that Ra-
jesh Patel, 29, the husband,
was arrested from Gujarat
on Thursday, while the other
two accused are still at large.
According to the police,
the 22-year-old complainant,
Rucha Ranawat, lodged a
complaint in July stating
that Rajesh married her by
claiming that he was a bach-
elor. In 2009, the complainant
visited Gujarat where she
learnt that he was already
married.
“Although I disbelieved it
initially, the facts were too
strong to be ignored,” Rucha
reportedly told the police in
her statement.
2 children, injures 10
A firing was on between ITBP jawans and Maoists when a grenade fell
inside a residential school in Gadchiroli on Maha-Chhattisgarh border
Jaideep hardikar
Four people, including two
children, were killed and 10
students were injured on Fri-
day after a grenade exploded
inside a residential school dur-
ing an exchange of fire be-
tween security forces and
Maoists in north Gadhchiroli
on the Maharashtra-Chhattis-
garh border.
Reports said that the
grenade explosion killed Sunil
Halami, 11, Nansa Hidako, 12,
a cook, DG Gawade, and a 55-
year-old villager on the spot.
Gadhchiroli superintendent of
police Viresh Prabhu refused
to divulge any other details
about the incident.
The residential school, run
by the tribal development de-
The firing started
shortly after an IED
blast triggered by
the Maoists killed
three ITBP jawans
partment for adivasi children,
is located in a sensitive Maoist
territory. Information collated
from unofficial sources sug-
gested that a firing was on be-
tween Indo-Tibetan Border Po-
lice (ITBP) jawans and the
Maoists. The jawans are posted
in Chhattisgarh as part of the
anti-naxal operations. The fir-
ing between the two groups
started shortly after an IED
blast triggered by the Maoists
killed three ITBP jawans near
the border. Three ITBP jawans,
a source said, chased a group of
armed Maoists inside Maha-
rashtra towards Sawargaon;
and it was during that ex-
change that a grenade fell in-
side the school.
The exchange of fire lasted
two-and-a-half hours after
which the superintendent of
the ashram shala tried to get
help from the nearest police
camp. She managed to shift the
injured children to Murum-
gaon and then to Gadchiroli in
private vehicles by evening.
One among the injured chil-
dren was shifted to a private
hospital in Nagpur late on Fri-
day night. Five children are be-
ing treated at Murumgaon ru-
ral hospital and four at Gad-
chiroli district hospital.