Protest by Dharavi locals spur cops to arrest 2 more in kabaddi player’s murder

Local leader and BJP MLA Tamil Selvan also reached the protest. He tried to calm the angry locals, met the police and demanded proper investigation in the case

Mumbai: Dissatisfied with the probe into the alleged murder of a 26-year-old kabaddi player Vimal Nadar, around 400 locals led by the family and neighbours of the deceased held a protest outside the Dharavi police station on Sunday.

Nadar, a technician by profession, worked in a cable firm and he was also a kabaddi player and well-known in the area (HT Photo)

The family claimed that though the police had arrested the suspect Mallesh Hanumanta Chintakindi, 32, CCTV footage of the crime scene showed involvement of more than one person, who were not mentioned in the investigation, and hence wanted them arrested as well.

Initially, the family even refused to take the custody of the body, however, the protest mounted pressure on the police and within two hours, the police managed to arrest two more suspects, Sainath Shahaji Waghmare, 30, Vikash Ramchandra Chaudhary, 28, and also added 120 (b) section of the Indian Penal Code in the case as per the family’s demand.

“The deputy commissioner of police Pranay Ashok and assistant commissioner of police convinced the deceased’s family that they will arrest the accused involved in the case. The family then agreed to accept the body for his last rites,” said Justin, a distant relative of the deceased.

According to the police, the incident occurred around 3.20am on Saturday when four accused were having alcohol near deceased Vimal Nadar’s residence, who lives in Kamraj Chawl, Dharavi 90-feet road which is a few hundred metres from the police station. Nadar came out of his house and asked them why they were making noise outside his residence and having alcohol which resulted in a heated argument between them.

Chintakindi then went out and brought stumps and started hitting Nadar in his head. The family claims that the other three also assaulted the accused with bamboo and stumps, said a police officer. After some time, the neighbours gathered when they noticed Nadar lying on the road with injury on his head. He was declared dead in the Sion Hospital, said deputy commissioner of police Pranay Ashok.

The case was registered under section 302 of the IPC and based on the statement given by the deceased’s cousin brother; the main accused was arrested within a few hours from the vicinity. As per the investigation, Chitakindi and other suspects were talking loudly and having alcohol due to which Nadar’s sleep got disturbed. The accused and victim had some previous enmity over a small issue, added the police officer.

Nadar, a technician by profession, worked in a cable firm and he was also a kabaddi player and well-known in the area. His father, Vijay Nadar, 52, works in a printing press in the Dharavi area.

Incidentally, Vimal’s mother died last year due to illness, and his father, Vijay conducted his wife’s funeral last year on July 24 and after a year, on the same day, he had to conduct the last rites of his son. “This is very sad. A large number of people gathered at the police station demanding justice for the victim. We accepted the body after police arrested more suspects in the case, and ensured proper investigation. Vimal was killed over old enmity and it is pre-planned murder. The accused along with others gathered at night and consumed alcohol and created nuisance”, said Natraj Nadar, president of Nadar merchant associate and a local resident.

Local leader and BJP MLA Tamil Selvan also reached the protest. He tried to calm the angry locals, met the police and demanded proper investigation in the case.