From hijacking parking space to failing on electricity dues, how Mankhurd and Dindoshi police stations have made life for their neighbours a living hell
Residents, who share their building with Mankhurd police station, said that unchecked dumping of seized vehicles by the cops, has led to water logging and mosquito infestation. Pic/Rajesh Gupta
One would imagine that having police presence in a neighbourhood would make its residents feel safe. But, for families of Vrindavan 3 CHS in Malad and Lalubhai Compound in Mankhurd which share their buildings with the police stations of Dindoshi and Mankhurd respectively, the experience has been nothing short of a nightmare. The constant movement of visitors inside their premises, and the high-handedness of the police, has robbed residents off their privacy.
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For residents of Vrindavan 3 CHS, life has never been the same, ever since the Dindoshi police station moved into its premises, in the aftermath of the 1992 riots. At present, the compound has five buildings, comprising 109 flats with the police station located in the A wing. The ground floor of the A Wing has a station house and officers' room, while the first floor has a detection room. Recently, the police also opened a new office of externed criminals on the third floor.
Nutan Awale, Resident of Vrindavan 3 CHS
Life thrown out of gear
According to society secretary Girishchandra Dube, when the police station began running out of the A Wing, a separate entrance was made for them. But, police officers continued to use their gate. "The passage to the entrance is always flooded with people. We've also had cases of mobs coming in to protest. Two months ago, we hired a watchman just to clear these crowds, so that we could live in peace," he said. "As officers change very often, they fail to recognise the locals. Sometimes residents aren't allowed into the society, unless they reveal their identity," Dube said. Despite the tight security, a few days ago, a drunk man managed to enter the building. "He was found loitering inside the terrace. We had to call the police to take him away," said Nutan Awale, a resident, who works in Mantralaya.
Awale regrets having bought a flat in the building. "There is no place for parking as police vehicles have occupied the area," she said. "Sometimes, in the night, we can hear the cries of accused being beaten up. It is horrifying," she added.
Nutan Awale (right), Sushma (left) and her mother-in-law Mangala Kurtarkar live in the A wing of Vrindavan 3 CHS, also occupied by the Dindoshi Police. The Kurtarkars claim that as their flat is on the same floor as the externment office, there have been occasions when criminals have knocked on their doors instead. Pics/Satej Shinde
Another resident, Sanjeevani Rokde, said that every now and then, assault and accident victims come into the society, smeared in blood. "How can we even allow our children to go down and play?" she said. Sushma Kurtarkar, a housewife, whose flat is right next to the externment office, said that in the past, criminals have mistaken their flat for the office, and come and knocked their door. "These people even spit in the passage and make our premises dirty," she said.
To make it worse, the home department has not paid maintenance for the flats that they have been occupying, Dube alleged. "We are planning to initiate legal action, as they owe maintenance charges of up to Rs 1.44 lakh," he claimed. Additional Commissioner of Police (North Region) Rajesh Pradhan, under whose jurisdiction the station is located, refused to comment.
The Mankhurd police station has been operating out of a five-floor building, comprising 60 flats, for the last nine years. Pic/Rajesh Gupta
'No room of our own'
In Mankhurd, the police station has been operating out of a five-floor building, comprising 60 flats, for the last nine years. At present, half of the flats are occupied by the police station and families of the officers, while the rest include people, who have been rehabilitated by the state government, after they lost their homes to road widening projects at various places in the city. While the police station is on the ground floor, the officers' room and detection office run out of three other floors.
Santosh Thite, the secretary of the building, said that the police haven't paid their electricity dues. "We have been demanding over Rs 3 lakh for use of electricity," he claimed.
Another grouse that the residents have with the police is the unchecked dumping of seized vehicles, which hasn't only blocked the parking area, but has also led to water logging and mosquito infestation. "We can't go down for a walk as criminals are brought in through the day. There is absolutely no priv-acy," he said.
Another resident Kiran Patil said that drug addicts are seen hiding behind these seized vehicles. "If the police remove the vehicles, it will be a huge relief for us," said Patil.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 6) Shahji Umap said that they would try and clear the vehicles as early as possible. Senior Police Inspector Nitin Bobde said they have already written a letter to MHADA requesting for alternate land for the police station.
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