Vasai resident and a lung cancer patient Nanda Mahadev (41) is in the hospital. Not because of the disease though, but because she was beaten up with a bamboo stick for feeding an old dog in her society
Lung cancer patient Nanda Mahadev has lodged a complaint against Rahul Lamba and his wife for beating her up
Lung cancer patient Nanda Mahadev has lodged a complaint against Rahul Lamba and his wife for beating her up
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Vasai resident and a lung cancer patient Nanda Mahadev (41) is in the hospital. Not because of the disease though, but because she was beaten up with a bamboo stick for feeding an old dog in her society.
Who's the animal?
As per the FIR, when Mahadev, who stays in Swapna Kutir, went to feed the animal on Wednesday like always, another resident Rahul Lamba tried to stop her, claiming that because of this, the dogs in the area were biting people — including his son who was allegedly bitten a few days ago. But when she asked him to show medical documents to prove it, he failed to do so.
"There had not been a single scratch on the boy's body, but the parents claimed that the dog had bitten him. On the same argument, they started beating up other dogs in the area, against which I had protested. When I went to feed the dog, the couple along with 20 society members came to stop me. When I refused, Lamba stated hitting me. No one came forward to help me. He held me by my chest and tore off my clothes in front of people," said Mahadev.
"We beat dogs thinking that they hurt humans, but this kind of behaviour is more inhumane." She has been admitted to Vasai's Lifeline Hospital. There is swelling on her chest and bruises on her hand.
Case filed
Dr Prashant Rane, who is treating her, said, "There is swelling on her chest, the kind that happens when a person falls down or is hit with something. But I can't comment if she was beaten. It is a police case."
An FIR has been filed in Manikpur police station against Lamba and his wife under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
Animal rights activist working with NGO People for Animals Nirali Kodaria helped in filing the FIR. "How can anyone beat up a woman suffering from cancer just for feeding a dog? Around 20 people came to beat her up. Children often get scared when a dog barks at them. She was trying to explain to them that that's all had happened, but they simply blamed her," said Kodaria.
Policespeak
Investigating officer Archana Koli said that after the FIR, around 10 residents of the society were summoned to record their statement. They accepted that they beat up Mahadev, but said that it was not Lamba who tore her clothes but his wife.
"We have recorded their statements. They said Mahadev used to feed dogs inside the society. When they asked her to do it outside, an altercation started and, in the heat of the moment, they beat her up. They also claimed that it Lamba's wife tore her clothes during the fight. We have to record statements of a few more residents; after that, we will decide on what action to take," said Koli.
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