3 women held for attacking civic, police officials during anti-encroachment drive in Kalyan

Kalyan: The Kalyan taluka police on Monday arrested three women for allegedly attacking civic and police officials during a major anti-encroachment drive in Baneli village of Titwala and obstructing government work, said officials.

Police said the incident took place on Saturday around 11.30am when the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation’s (KDMC) encroachment removal department was carrying out demolition action against illegal chawl constructions in the area under police protection.

The arrested women were identified as Rubina Khan (42), Safiya Khan (23) and Shahina Khan (21), all residents of Baneli village. Police said the accused allegedly assaulted assistant police inspector (API) Sarla Kale and other women officials while trying to stop the demolition drive, leading to a tense situation at the spot.

Despite the resistance, API Sarla Kale and the police team assisted KDMC officials in successfully completing the demolition operation.

KDMC ward officer Jaywant Choudhary said the civic body demolished around 280 newly constructed illegal houses and 50 illegal foundations during the drive. The action was carried out under the guidance of KDMC commissioner Abhinav Goel and with heavy police deployment.

Based on a complaint lodged by Shankar Narayan Jadhav (45), a supervisor attached to the encroachment department, Kalyan taluka police registered an FIR against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for assaulting public servants and obstructing government work.

Following instructions from senior officers, police launched a search operation and arrested the three accused women. They were later produced before a court, which remanded them to judicial custody. Pradeep Gupta