Indian Express: Pune: Wednesday,
April 12, 2017.
IN THE last
five years, as many as 10 murders have taken place in Kharalwadi area of
Pimpri-Chinchwad, where RTI activist Suhas Haldankar was brutally murdered on
Sunday night. Additionally, attempt to murder cases too seem to be on the rise,
with the area witnessing at least 25 in the last five years.
“As the sun
sets, miscreants roam freely in the Kharalwadi-Gandhinagar area and openly
consume liquor, making life miserable for women. Besides, two politicians, who
collectively have at least 40 criminal cases registered against them, also
reside in the area…”
Armed with
such complaints, a delegation comprising activists, residents and intellectuals
led by Suhas Haldankar’s sister Shweta Kargotkar has decided to meet Police
Commissioner Rashmi Shukla.
To end the
era of those “creating terror in the area”, Shukla said, she will meet the
residents and hear out their grievances. “I will take strong action against the
miscreants in the area….” she added. On whether she would extern them, she
said, “Certainly action would be initiated against the troublemakers.”
The police
chief is likely to meet the delegation around 12 pm Wednesday.
Advocate
Sushil Mancharkar, a resident of the area, said, “We have drafted a memorandum,
to be presented to the police commissioner. We will bring to the commissioner’s
notice the goonda raj that prevails in Kharalwadi-Gandhinagar area… At least 10
murders and several attempted murders have taken place in the area.”
Of the 11
accused arrested in Haldankar murder case, at least five-six were in jail last
year on attempt to murder charges, Mancharkar added. “Had the police barred
them from entering Kharalwadi, the murder of an innocent RTI activist would not
have taken place,” he said.
He added that
police presence and pro-active policing in the area will make residents feel
safe, otherwise the “reign of terror” is unlikely to end. Swapnil Thosar, one
of the residents who had rushed Haldankar to the hospital after the attack,
said women fear to step out in evening as miscreants consume liquor openly on
the streets of Kharalwadi. “Haldankar’s attackers were consuming liquor in the
open,” he added.
Mahesh J, a
local resident, said, if the police act tough, Kharalwadi would be a safe place
to live in. Talking to The Indian Express on Monday, Kargotkar said safety of
women in Kharalwadi area was the biggest issue her brother fought against, till
his last breath.
“My brother
fought against the harassment of women by miscreants and police inaction
against those drinking liquor in the open… On his part, he had filed several
complaints with the civic and police officials and tried to highlight the
problem in local newspapers,” she added.
Participating
in a silent march Tuesday, Kargotkar urged the police to take strong action
against her brother’s killers. She added that her brother staked his life
fighting to improve the living conditions in Kharalwadi.
An elderly
resident said the way the miscreants carry out attacks in
Kharalwadi-Gandhinagar area speaks poorly of the police force. “Those who are
involved in murder cases, attempt to murder cases and violent attacks should be
externed from Kharalwadi… A strong signal like this could act as a deterrent
for troublemakers,” he said.
Meanwhile,
another person, identified as Ganesh Jadhav, was arrested in Haldankar case on
Tuesday. Jadhav was arrested from Chikhli area of Pimpri-Chinchwad.
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