Mumbai: A major protest erupted in Dharavi on Tuesday, accompanied by stone-pelting from an angry mob. The unrest follows the stabbing death of a 26-year-old man on Sunday, who was affiliated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a right-wing organization.
The deceased has been identified as Arvind Vaishya, a resident of Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in Dharavi, who worked for a company that supplies medical products to hospitals and clinics. On the evening of Sunday, July 28, Vaishya was reportedly intervening in a dispute between two groups of residents. According to local sources, a police team was present at the scene during the altercation. The dispute involved Vaishya’s friend Siddhesh Gore and Niyaz Islam Shaikh, also known as Allu, along with Shaikh’s father Aslam and friend Arif Shaikh. Although the argument was initially verbal, it escalated into physical violence, during which Vaishya was stabbed.
Vaishya sustained multiple stab wounds to his chest and was immediately taken to Sion Hospital, where he was pronounced dead despite emergency treatment. The postmortem report confirmed that the cause of death was due to injuries inflicted by a sharp object that punctured his chest.
A police officer clarified that the stabbing was not solely triggered by an argument over honking in front of Siddhesh Gore’s shop. There were pre-existing tensions between the groups involved, and Vaishya was aware that police officers in civil attire were following him. He was attempting to lead the officers to Niyaz alias Allu, when he was attacked in a narrow lane and briefly lost sight of by the police.
Following the stabbing, Niyaz was apprehended by the police, but his friend Arif managed to escape. Arif was later captured after a two-hour search operation, according to officials.
As news of the incident spread, locals, including Vaishya’s family and members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, gathered at the Dharavi police station. They accused the police of inaction, alleging that the stabbing occurred despite the officers' presence at the scene.
On Monday, the protest began peacefully but escalated into violence by Tuesday, according to police officials. They were compelled to use a lathi charge in response to stone-pelting by the protesters. Throughout Tuesday, senior police officers, including the Additional Commissioner of Police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police for Zone 5, and the Assistant Commissioner of Police, along with local police from Dharavi and Shahu Nagar stations, were on the scene to manage the situation and ensure public safety.
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The protest concluded with participants reciting the Hanuman Chalisa after news of the arrests was announced, according to police officials. The Dharavi police, who are investigating the case, have registered a First Information Report (FIR) and charged the accused under the murder provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Police added that they might make more arrests in the case if they find anything substantial.
