Vasai man's house damaged by 100 goons for helping migrant workers

Reema Chauhan got injured by glass shards from the broken windows. Pics/Hanif Patel

Over a 100 goons led by the deputy sarpanch of Kalamb village in Vasai attacked the house of a vegetable vendor who had been helping migrant workers fill forms online and register with the state government to go back to their villages, on Tuesday night.

Vasai police have registered a case against 12 people, including the deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and arrested one person.

The goons, armed with iron rods and bamboo sticks, first started throwing stones at the bungalow of Brijesh Chauhan in Nirmal village, Vasai West. The house's glass windows were shattered and Chauhan's wife, Reema, got injured by little shards of glass.

The incident happened after Chauhan registered a Non-Cognisable (NC) complaint against one of the accused a day before the attack.

"My husband has been helping migrant workers fill forms online. On May 4 at 8:30 pm, two migrant workers came to my house to get themselves registered online. My husband told them to collect the details of at least 10 people and then one or two can come to submit the details as it also maintains social distancing," said Reema.

"But the duo got angry and told my husband that they belong to Kalamb village and their work should be done on priority. They screamed at us and then left, only to return 15 minutes later with Darshan Gharat and 20 other people from Kalamb village. They shouted and abused everyone in our family, including women. My senior citizen father-in-law was also manhandled," she added. "After abusing us, the mob returned to Kalamb village. Around 10 minutes later, they came with deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, who too abused us. Somehow we managed to send them away," Reema said.

Brijesh then registered an NC against the group. "On May 5 at 9 pm, Anand and goons riding triple seat on motorcycles, armed with iron rods, bamboo sticks, etc. came shouting and started pelting stones at my house. I got injured. Neighbours came to our rescue and police also came on the spot just 10 minutes after we called them," she added.

Deputy sarpanch flees
An officer from Vasai police said, "We have registered a case against 12 people and other unidentified people and arrested one person. In all, 12 people, including deputy sarpanch Anand are wanted. We are trying to trace him."

Deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat

Anand, who is planning to seek anticipatory bail, told mid-day that Brijesh had assaulted a student residing in Kalamb village. "I had gone to resolve the matter but they have registered a case against me. An officer from Vasai police asked me to surrender but I am innocent," said Anand, who is out on bail in a rape and kidnapping case registered against him at Vasai police station last year.

May 5
Day the incident occurred

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