Mumbai: Shivaji Park residents demand action after protest death
Shivaji Park residents demand murder charges against CJP organisers after a 75-year-old man died during a protest in the silent zone.
Residents of Mumbai's prestigious Shivaji Park are demanding strict legal action against the organisers of a recent protest following the tragic death of a 75-year-old man during the demonstration.
The deceased, identified as Gopalakrishna Subbaiya Pillai, a 75-year-old resident of Thane, reportedly suffered a heart attack while the protest was underway on October 2. The incident has sparked intense outrage among local citizens who claim the gathering was unauthorized and dangerous.
Allegations of unauthorized gathering
Local residents have raised serious concerns regarding how the protest was conducted. Santosh Pavaskar, a resident of Shivaji Park, alleged that the community had proactively reached out to authorities to prevent such a gathering. He claimed that a formal representation had been submitted to the authorities days before the event, specifically requesting that permission for the protest be denied.
"Even without the permission being formally issued, they forcibly came, set up a platform, and carried out their activities," Pavaskar stated. He emphasized that Shivaji Park is designated as a "silent zone" and argued that the organisers should be held strictly accountable for choosing this specific location for their rally.
Demands for murder charges
The tension in the neighborhood has escalated as residents demand accountability for the loss of life. Following the death of Pillai, local citizens have called for a criminal case to be registered against CJP leader Abhijit Dipke and his associates.
Some residents have gone as far as calling for the local administration to charge the organisers with murder. They expressed frustration that their prior warnings about potential risks were ignored. "We had been warning all along that such an incident could happen to local residents too," one resident remarked, adding that the accountability for the tragedy must rest squarely on the organizers.
Police investigation underway
The Mumbai Police are currently examining the circumstances surrounding the death of Gopalakrishna Subbaiya Pillai. Officials are also reviewing the legal provisions applicable to the situation, specifically regarding the allegations of an unauthorized protest and the subsequent fatality. The investigation aims to determine the exact responsibility of the organizers in the context of the public demonstration.