KALYAN: The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) on Tuesday launched a major drive against illegal hoardings across the twin city area after a committee appointed to investigate the issue identified 380 unauthorized structures. BJP corporator Dipesh Mhatre, who had repeatedly raised the issue, said the civic body had initially given hoarding owners an opportunity to legalize their structures by submitting the required permissions and supporting documents. The move was aimed at bringing the hoardings into the legal framework and enabling KDMC to recover revenue. “However, most hoarding owners failed to produce any valid documents. It was found that a large number of these hoardings had been erected on government land without permission, resulting in substantial revenue losses to the municipal corporation,” Mhatre said. He further alleged that some of the hoardings were linked to political leaders, raising concerns over whether action would be taken impartially. Following the committee’s findings and the failure of owners to furnish the required documents, KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goel decided to initiate action against all illegal hoardings. Acting on the commissioner’s directions, the Encroachment Department led by Prasad Borkar began the demolition drive on Tuesday. Despite intermittent rain, civic teams carried out action against several unauthorized hoardings during the day. Mhatre said the pace of the drive was affected by weather conditions but KDMC officials have assured that all 380 illegal hoardings will be removed in the coming days. He also urged the administration to prioritize dangerous structures before the monsoon intensifies. “I have requested KDMC to immediately remove unsafe hoardings to prevent an incident similar to the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse,” he said.

ULHASNAGAR: A civil court in Ulhasnagar has ordered both parties to maintain status quo on the Barkatiya Mosque, Madrasa and Imam’s residence while hearing a suit challenging demolition proceedings initiated by the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC). The order was passed by Civil Judge (Junior Division) Rohini Ashok Jadhav in Regular Civil Suit filed by the trustees of the Barkatiya Mosque complex through trust president and authorised representative Rizwani Mohammad Usman. According to the plaintiffs, the mosque, madrasa and imam’s residence form part of an age-old religious and educational complex that has served the local Muslim community for decades. The suit challenges demolition show-cause notices and subsequent demolition and eviction orders issued by the UMC, which allegedly classified the structures as unauthorised. The plaintiffs argued that the proposed demolition was being carried out in undue haste without following the mandatory legal procedure prescribed under law. They also alleged that the religious complex had been selectively targeted under pressure from certain communal and anti-social elements. The UMC has maintained that action was initiated under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act and that statutory notices were duly issued. After examining the records and submissions from both sides, the court observed that the notices issued by the civic body appeared to provide only seven days for compliance, whereas judicial directions referred to by the court required a 15-day period in such cases. Observing that any irreversible action could render the suit infructuous and cause irreparable prejudice to the plaintiffs, the court granted interim protection and directed both parties to maintain the existing status of the property. The court has directed the respondent authorities to file their reply by June 30. The plea for interim relief will be considered after hearing both sides.

THANE: The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has announced a 48-hour water supply shutdown in Diva, Kalwa, Majiwada-Manpada and parts of Diva and Wagle Estate starting midnight of June 23 (Monday-Tuesday). These areas are supplied water by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).A statement issued by the Thane corporation Monday afternoon cites anticipated water scarcity in the coming months as the reason. “The decision for imposing water cuts was taken during a review meeting with the Water Resources Department last week In view of the possibility of a delayed monsoon this year owing to the impact of El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD),” officials said.Accordingly, water supply from MIDC’s Barvi, Jambhul and Shahad water treatment centres will remain suspended till midnight of June 23 (Wednesday-Thursday).The civic body has further informed that supply will resume at low pressure for the next two days following restoration and citizens have been urged to use water judiciously during the shutdown period.Meanwhile, several complexes located along the Ghodbunder highway complained of facing unscheduled cuts on Monday even as tanker services also remained unavailable.A delegation of BJP legislators on Sunday had raised the issue of how the tanker mafia was exploiting residents of several gated complexes charging them anywhere between Rs 5,000 daily for each tanker.Many complexes were shelling out Rs 85 lakhs to 1. 25cr annually for tankers adding to their monthly outflo1w in addition to the maintenance bills, municipal taxes and housing loan EMIs, said BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar.

BADLAPUR: A BMW that police say was being driven at nearly 250 kmph was ripped apart after crashing into a divider on the under-construction Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Badlapur, killing two passengers and leaving its engine lying about 30 metres away from the wreckage. Police have now registered a case against the driver, Angad Gill.The crash occurred around 2.39 am on June 21 on a closed stretch of the expressway that is not yet open to public traffic. According to investigators, the impact was so severe that the luxury car was reduced to a mangled heap of metal, with vehicle parts scattered across a large stretch of the road.The victims, identified as Yogesh Kishan Negi and Rebecca Jacob, suffered critical injuries and were taken to Badlapur Rural Hospital, where they were declared dead. Gill, who survived the crash with serious head injuries, is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kalyan.Police said preliminary findings suggest Gill ignored traffic regulations and was driving at an extremely high speed when he lost control and slammed into the divider. Senior Police Inspector Kishore Shinde said a case has been registered against him for rash and negligent driving causing death.Investigators are also examining a social media video allegedly recorded shortly before the crash that appears to show the BMW’s speedometer touching 249 kmph and 251 kmph. Authorities are verifying the authenticity of the footage and whether it was filmed during the fatal journey.The regional transport office and forensic experts have joined the investigation to determine the vehicle’s exact speed and reconstruct the sequence of events. Police are also probing whether the occupants had consumed alcohol before entering the under-construction expressway.According to investigators, the trio had attended Negi’s birthday celebration before driving onto the restricted stretch. Police are examining whether the group entered the closed expressway for high-speed driving or stunts.Officials said the findings of the forensic analysis, vehicle data and medical reports will determine the next course of action in the case.

THANE: A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by two senior citizens in Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Sunday.The accused, both above 60 years of age, were arrested in connection with the attack, which occurred in a slum colony in Netivali village on Saturday night.According to police, the duo allegedly caught hold of the girl and raped her repeatedly.The survivor managed to escape their clutches and lodged a complaint with the police.The accused have been booked under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

THANE: A high-speed drive ended in tragedy in Maharashtra’s Thane district early Sunday after a BMW crashed into a road divider and overturned several times on the Mumbai-Vadodara highway, killing two young occupants and leaving another seriously injured.The accident took place around 4 am near Badlapur when the luxury car was returning from Titwala, police said.The deceased were identified as Yogesh Dighe (26) and Rikeba Jacob (24), both residents of Badlapur.Another occupant, Anand, sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Thane.According to the preliminary investigation, the BMW was allegedly travelling at high speed when it rammed into the road divider.The impact caused the driver to lose control, following which the vehicle overturned multiple times before coming to a halt.The crash left the luxury car in a mangled state, with local residents and passing motorists rushing to the spot after hearing a loud impact. Authorities were alerted immediately.Police shifted the bodies to a government hospital for post-mortem, PTI reported.“A case of accidental death has been registered, and further investigation is underway,” the station house officer of Badlapur police station said.A forensic team later inspected the accident site and collected evidence. Police said all angles are being examined, including whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.(With agency inputs)

ULHASNAGAR: Amid celebrations marking the 60th foundation day of Shiv Sena and reports of a major split within Shiv Sena (UBT), leaders of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have intensified calls for deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde to be reinstated as Maharashtra’s chief minister.Adding to the chorus, Ulhasnagar Mayor Ashwini Kamlesh Nikam on Friday said that Shiv Sainiks across Maharashtra and a large section of the general public want Shinde to once again lead the state as chief minister.In a statement issued on Friday, Nikam said Shinde had demonstrated decisive leadership and had accelerated development projects across Maharashtra during his tenure as chief minister. She claimed that party workers and citizens alike believe he should be given another opportunity to head the state government.The demand comes at a politically significant moment for the Shiv Sena. The party’s 60th foundation day celebrations were overshadowed by reports that six Lok Sabha MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) faction have either formed a separate group or are preparing to align with the Shinde-led Sena, triggering fresh turmoil within the opposition camp. Reports suggest the development could substantially strengthen Shinde’s position in Maharashtra politics and increase his faction’s strength in Parliament.Speaking at the Shiv Sena’s foundation day event in Mumbai, Shinde hinted at further political developments, remarking that the recent rebellion was “just the trailer” and that “the picture is still remaining,” a statement widely interpreted as a signal that more leaders could cross over to his camp in the coming days.The latest developments have reignited speculation within political circles over the future leadership dynamics in Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance. While the BJP continues to lead the government under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena leaders have increasingly been projecting Shinde as the face of the party’s expansion and resurgence following the 2022 split.Political observers believe the reported entry of six UBT MPs into the Shinde camp has further boosted the Deputy Chief Minister’s stature within both the alliance and the party.For now, there has been no official response from the BJP or the Mahayuti leadership on the renewed demand for Shinde’s return as chief minister.

THANE: A 26-year-old newlywed woman from Ambernath allegedly died by suicide just one-and-a-half months after her marriage, with her family accusing her doctor husband and in-laws of dowry harassment, physical abuse and constant surveillance.The deceased, Vishakha Tilkar, was found hanging at her matrimonial home on Tuesday. Based on a complaint lodged by her family, Shivajinagar police registered a case against her husband, Dr Nitin Tilkar, mother-in-law Chhaya Tilkar and brother-in-law Ninad Tilkar. The trio was arrested on Wednesday.According to the complaint, Vishakha married Dr Tilkar on April 30. Her family alleged that although the relationship was cordial before marriage, she was subjected to mental and physical harassment soon after entering her matrimonial home. The accused allegedly demanded additional gold ornaments and cash from her parents, claiming they were dissatisfied with the gifts received during the wedding.Family members further alleged that Dr Tilkar had installed CCTV cameras inside and outside the house to monitor his wife’s movements. Vishakha was allegedly questioned about her daily activities and beaten if she was seen speaking to neighbours. Two days before her death, she was allegedly assaulted by her husband for talking to a woman from the neighbourhood.According to relatives, Vishakha had informed her mother about the harassment and expressed distress over her situation. Her parents were planning to bring her back home, but before they could do so, they received news of her death on Tuesday.Ramesh Patil, senior police inspector of Shivajinagar police station, said, “Our preliminary investigation indicates that CCTV cameras had been installed in the house and the accused husband allegedly monitored his wife’s movements. Based on the complaint filed by the deceased’s family, we registered a case against the husband, mother-in-law and brother-in-law for cruelty and abetment of suicide. All three accused have been arrested.“