3 more held in Kalyan family attack case

The Khadakpada police in Kalyan have made three more arrests, including the wife of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation employee Akhilesh Shukla, in connection with the latter’s alleged verbal attack on a Marathi family in his building, Ajmera Heights at Yogidham

MUMBAI: The Khadakpada police in Kalyan have made three more arrests, including the wife of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation employee Akhilesh Shukla, in connection with the latter’s alleged verbal attack on a Marathi family in his building, Ajmera Heights at Yogidham.

Wife of MTDC official produced in court on Saturday. (Pramod Tambe/HT Photo)

Shukla’s private car too was seized on Friday by the RTO for sporting an amber beacon. “He was fined ₹9,500 for using the beacon without authorisation,” said deputy RTO officer Ashutosh Barkul. “His vehicle did not have valid insurance or a PUC certificate either and also had an unauthorised plate with ‘Maharashtra Government’ written on it.”

According to the police, on December 18, Shukla had a heated altercation with the Kalavikattes, his Marathi neighbours, over his lighting an incense stick in the lift passage area of the floor. A violent attack followed later, with Shukla allegedly bringing in more men, including Maharashtrians, to beat up the Kalavikattes.

His wife, Geeta, and two others—Parth and Vivek Jadhav—were arrested and produced in court along with three others, including Shukla and his accomplices. Six arrests have been made so far, and all have been sent to police custody until December 26.

The brawl began when the Kalavikattes, to stop the smoke from the incense sticks entering their flat, asked the Shuklas to place them inside their house. Akhilesh Shukla then allegedly remarked that Marathi people were filthy, as they ate meat and seafood. The Deshmukh family, which also lives on the same floor, then intervened.

Following this, Shukla allegedly called eight to ten people from elsewhere and knocked on the Deshmukhs’ and Kalvikattes’ doors. This purportedly led to a violent fight, in which Abhijit Deshmukh and his brother, Dhiraj, suffered grievous injuries. Viral videos of the incident led to an uproar in the Maharashtra legislature over the insult to Marathi-speaking people in the state.

As per the FIR, Shukla, along with his wife and others, assaulted a couple who asked them to calm down during their argument over the burning of incense. Shukla, his associates Sumit Jadhav (23) and Ranga alias Darshan Borade (22) were arrested on Friday, while police are on the lookout for eight others.

Shukla could also lose his seat as a managing committee (MC) member of Ajmera Heights and from the society’s membership. Residents of the building passed a resolution at a Special General Body meeting that was held late on Friday night. “It was unanimously resolved to expel Shukla from the MC as well as society membership,” confirmed Vaishali Garud, an MC member. The MC intends taking legal advice on the process.

Advocate Vimal Jain, a counsel in housing society-related issues, however, told HT that the move to expel Shukla was not possible as per the existing rules concerning the functioning of a cooperative housing society.

Detailing the discussion and the resolution taken during the meeting, which lasted for over two hours, Garud said, “The ladies from our society raised the issue, objecting to the Shukla family’s presence in the society.” Members also raised past issues with the Shukla family, including heated arguments. Some society members said that the entire episode had caused unpleasantness in the society, and attempts needed to be made to ensure that there was no divide among the rest of the members.

Families across religions and regions reside at the housing society. Some houses have also put up Christmas lighting to bring in the season’s flavour and ambience.

(With PTI inputs)