Navi Mumbai: 25-year-old killed in protests, 108 civilians hurt; 1 fights for life

Kopar Khairane resident Rohan Todkar,25, became the first victim of the riots that took place in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday. A total of 108 others were injured and one protestor is critical.

Todkar, a resident of Kopar Khairane, wasn’t a part of the riots but was accidentally hit by stones and rushed to NMMC hospital, Vashi.

As his condition became critical, he was shifted to JJ Hospital at 2.15am Thursday.

“He had sustained multiple injuries on his head, hands and legs. He was kept in the intensive care unit but succumbed to injuries during around 10.30am,” said Dr Sanjay Surase, medical superitendent of JJ Hospital.

Todkar underwent an autopsy and the cause of injuries was revealed to be poly-trauma (multiple traumatic injuries). His body was handed over to the family on Thursday night.

Elsewhere, a 32-year-old container driver from Pune, Dattatraya Aangad Waghmare, is in critical condition after the police fired rubber bullets on the protestors. A total of 108 others were injured in Wednesday’s protests in Kalamboli, a statement issued by Navi Mumbai commissioner of police, Hemant Nagrale, on Thursday read.

While Waghmare and another protestor, Narayan Baban Gayake, 25, were injured in police firing, the other protestors suffered injuries during lathi charge.

Waghmare has undergone an operation at MGM hospital in Kamothe but is critical. His family has demanded compensation.

Waghmare’s uncle, Bhumiputra, said, “Like every other day, my nephew was transporting four-wheelers in his container trailer from Pune to Mumbai. His trailer was stopped by the protestors and was used to block the expressway. He stayed put in the vehicle to prevent it being taken away by the protestors.”

“As the mob violence erupted, the police began to fire. My nephew tried to escape but was hit by a bullet in his back. We don’t know if he will survive,” Bhumiputra said.

Meanwhile, Nagrale in his statement said that the police was compelled to use force because the mob resorted to violence.

“At Kalamboli junction and Kopar Khairane, the agitators turned violent and started pelting stones on vehicles and on policemen and also set police vehicles on fire. As a result, the police used force and fired tear gas shells and shot gun bullets and also resorted to lathi charge to disperse the violent agitators to make the Expressway (E-way) and other roads free for commuters which were blocked for more than six hours,” Nagrale’s statement read.

Around 40 rounds of shotgun, 22 rubber bullets, tear gas shells were used to disperse the violent mob at various locations, read the statement.

“The situation in Navi Mumbai is peaceful and I appeal to all citizens not to believe or spread any rumour on social media,” Nagrale said.

Meanwhile, the Panvel court has remanded 32 protestors in police custody till July 30 for allegedly indulging in violence at the Mumbai-Pune E-way entry point in Kalamboli. Police have booked the accused for rioting and attempted murder.

RK Patil, one of the advocates for the accused, said, “These boys (the arrested men) are not criminals. Some are students, while some of them were returning from work. The police seem to have picked up people randomly. Do they have CCTV footages of the accused being involved in violence?”

He added, “A case should be filed against the chief minister for not keeping the promise made during the election campaign.”