Whistleblower against illegal hawkers claims murder bid, seeks CM’s help

Navi Mumbai: A 44-year-old Vashi homemaker has sought the CM's intervention claiming she was assaulted twice last week and an attempt made to strangle and molest her by a group of illegal hawkers for lodging multiple complaints against encroachments on public land over the past year. She alleged that Vashi police lodged a non-cognisable offence, instead of an FIR, holding the attack as a minor altercation between two parties."The accused have rebutted the charges. Considering that it was a minor altercation prima facie, a non-cognisable offence was filed. We are investigating from all angles," Shashikant Chandekar, senior Vashi police inspector, told TOI.
Madhu Shankar said she was attacked on March 4 by a gang of illegal hawkers after she took photos of encroachments and shared them with civic officials. "They tried to snatch my phone and threatened to molest me. The next day, I was brutally attacked and one of them attempted to strangle me. I lodged a complaint at Vashi police station." She said she was targeted for speaking out against an alleged leader of illegal hawkers, Babu Samanta. She claimed he has not only encroached on public property and an MSEDCL substation but also employs child labourers. Shankar said she sent a complaint to the women and child welfare committee (CWC), Thane, with evidence a year ago, but no action was taken. She said she was told that her letter was forwarded to the labour department. "Vashi police have not taken action against Samanta, saying they will initiate it if they get a letter from the CWC." She alleged Samanta attacked her earlier too, but she was not told what police action was initiated.Shankar said she's also fighting another systemic battle over allegedly inflated power bills and that the supply to her home was disconnected a month ago after she repeatedly complained to MSEDCL over unusually high bills.