Auto drivers assault EVP of pharma company in Kandivali East

he executive vice president of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals had to pay a high price for trying to control an unruly auto driver on Wednesday night while he was walking his dog in Kandivali East

MUMBAI: The executive vice president of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals had to pay a high price for trying to control an unruly auto driver on Wednesday night while he was walking his dog in Kandivali East.

Auto drivers assault EVP of pharma company in Kandivali East

Samir Kazi, 48, was assaulted by an auto driver and his associates, resulting in concussion and abrasions on his face and limbs. Despite his injuries, the Samta Nagar police refused to register an FIR, insisting that he go to the civic hospital for a medical examination on his own.

Kazi, who lives with his wife and son at Lokhandwala Complex in Kandivali East, was walking his dog around 9:30pm on Wednesday when the incident occurred. As he reached the Saibaba temple on the main road, he moved off the footpath to avoid a puddle just as an approaching auto veered towards him. The auto, zigzagging, brushed against him. “I calmly advised the driver to be cautious, without any provocation, but he abruptly halted, got out, and punched me,” said Kazi.

Within moments, several other auto drivers from the vicinity joined in, kicking and punching both Kazi and his dog. “I couldn’t let go of my dog and pleaded with them to stop, but they persisted in attacking me,” he added.

Kazi, bleeding from his nose and mouth, went to the police station where he was asked to wait as the officer was having dinner. “After 40 minutes, they told me to go to the hospital for a medical checkup. I requested them to review the CCTV footage, but no action was taken. In pain, I gave up and returned home,” Kazi said. He later shared his ordeal on WhatsApp groups and contacted the corporator, prompting officer Pooja Patil to intervene and instruct him to visit the police station to file an FIR.

Residents of the area reported recurring harassment by unruly auto drivers in the complex, citing similar incidents in the past. When approached, Samta Nagar police assured that they would register an FIR and track down the perpetrators. Deputy commissioner of police, Zone 12, Smita Patil, was unavailable for comment despite multiple attempts to reach her by phone and text.