Goregaon resident arrested for smashing windshields of 40 rickshaws over illegal parking dispute

Dindoshi police have arrested a man for allegedly vandalizing 40 rickshaws parked at Santosh Nagar in Goregaon East during the wee hours of Monday. His accomplice is currently on the run.

The duo broke the windshields and rearview mirrors of all the rickshaws parked in the area following which Sulakshana Shinde filed a complaint with the police. One of the accused, identified as Imran Altaf Shaikh, was arrested while his accomplice Rocky is still absconding.

According to a senior official from Dindoshi police station, the illegal parking lot where Shaikh vandalised the autos belongs to Pradeep Shinde, who is externed from Mumbai by the police. In his absence, his mother Sulakshana runs the parking space located at Santosh Nagar near Film City in Goregaon (E). Each night, between 30 to 40 drivers park their rickshaws there. They pay around Rs 50 to park their rickshaws for a day.

Shaikh had recently opened his own illegal parking lot next to Shinde’s. However, most rickshaws continued to park their vehicles at Shinde’s lot. Upset over the lack of business, he came to Shinde’s lot around 3 am with Rocky and started vandalizing the rickshaws with bamboo sticks.

Upon hearing the commotion, Sulakshana came out and confronted the 32-year-old. But, he manhandled her and fled the spot. Later, she approached Dindoshi police station and filed a complaint which led to Shaikh’s arrest.

Shaikh has been booked under Sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506(2) (Punishment for criminal intimidation), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. The search for Rocky is underway.

In the past, members of a local non governmental organisation have approached the traffic police and asked them to take action against the illegal parking operators, but to no avail.