Mumbai: After an incident on Tuesday evening when a customer saved the life of physically challenged shopkeeper Rajanisingh Thakur, who was allegedly attacked with a sword at P.L. Lokhande Marg in Chembur, the former — Nasruddin Mansuri, 52, — said that he did not wish to be felicitated by the police until illicit activities in the area are ended.
Speaking to the Deccan Chronicle, Mr Mansuri stated that police should take the initiative to stop dangerous activities that are rampant in the area, as Tuesday’s incident was the accused’s second such assault. “I am not interested in any felicitation or award because wrongdoings will not be stopped by this. People should change their attitudes,” he said.
Mr Thakur was allegedly attacked inside his shop at 8:30 pm in suburban Chembur, following which four persons have been arrested. Manish Thakur, the victim’s brother, said, “This is the second attack by the same person. In June, they (the accused) beat up a friend, Ahmad Shaikh, for complaining to the police against their misbehaviour. At that time, the accused had trashed Mr Shaikh so badly that he got five stitches on his head and his finger was fractured.
“These people misbehave with the women of our family and we are afraid of parking our cars near their area.” He further alleged, “Police took no action. Were the police waiting for an untoward incident or for someone to die before taking any action against the hooligans? The police had not even taken action against these accused when they beat up a constable as he stopped a member of their gang from creating nuisance on the road.”
Senior inspector Bhagwat Sonawane of Tilak Nagar police station said, Mr Akram Shaikh, the assailant, was part of a gang of drug addicts that has been extorting money from shopkeepers for a while. Victim Mr Thakur had been distributing pamphlets and put up small posters outside the shops in Chembur appealing the shopkeepers not to pay extortion money. It was for this that he was attacked, said Mr Thakur’s brother.
