23 November,2010 07:05 AM IST | | Sayed Roshan
Reconstruction of a marble signboard in Jogeshwari angered residents enough to get into a fight with supporters of the corporator who ordered it
The reconstruction of a street sign in Behram Baug in Jogeshwari West led to a fracas between a corporator's men and the area's residents.
The marble sign, built in 2008, reads 'Gurunath Gajanan Maharaj Chowk'. It was being reconstructed into a bigger one at the corporator's orders.
The marble sign angered residents as it occupied a lot of space
But the residents were enraged, saying that the renovation would occupy a lot of space.
At around 9 pm, when the corporator's men were renovating the marble stone on the footpath, the locals tried to stop them.
But the men went on with the work anyway and completed it. This led to a wrangle between the two groups, and the unrest was reported at Oshiwara police station.
A mob of 300 people then flocked the police station to protest. The police had to lathi charge the mob to control the situation and impose order.
Though the police sent the protesters home, the leaders of the two groups were asked to sit and reach a compromise.
A local resident, Sharif Khan, said, "We are against the renovation. It has taken a lot of space and has blocked the footpath."
An official from the Oshiwara police station said, "The incident occurred when a local corporator renovated the sign board, even though the people were opposed to it.
When the matter reached a head, it was brought to our notice. We have deployed policemen in that area. The effort to settle the matter between the two group is underway."
