Mumbai: A 30-year-old lawyer, Chandni Shah, was driven out of a Versova-based housing society on Thursday, where she had been residing at a friend's place since the abrupt, nationwide lockdown announced on March 24.
Shah, who had been in and out of her friend's flat ever since her her leave-andlicence agreement expired, took to Twitter to share her ordeal, where Mumbai Police asked her to approach the local police station. She had come to the city of dreams from Gujarat five years ago and had been renting apartments.
However, currently she was in between homes and since last week, had been living in her friend's apartment in Versova, Andheri (W). However, her friend, on whose name the leave-andlicence agreement was drawn, was physically weak and living with his uncle.
On Wednesday night, when Shah stepped out of the house to buy essentials, she was stopped by the building's security guard, who told her outsiders could not enter.
Shah told The Free Press Journal, "I tried to reason with the guard that I had been staying there for close to a week and the reason he had not seen me was because of the lockdown.
He then let me in, only to come knocking at my door the following day, to inform that I had been summoned by the society secretary." When Shah went to meet the secretary and tried explaining the circumstances which had resulted in her staying there, he was rude to her and asked her to vacate the premises anyway.
"I was taken aback by his tone and choice of words. He not only wanted me to vacate, he also wanted my friend to do so. When I was packed and set to leave, waiting for a friend I had called to pick me up, the secretary again pointed at me and threatened police action if I stayed for another minute," Shah said.
After a 30-minute showdown between the society members and Shah, the latter was forced to move out amidst the lockdown and look for another house. Raghvendra Thakur, senior inspector of Versova police station, said he had asked Shah to come to the police station and report the incident.
