Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
UMC engineer assaulted over polluted nullah
Former corporator of Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation ( KDMC) Nitin Nikam, who had called off his second protest on Sunday, assaulted an engineer from Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) on Wednesday.
Soon after the assault, UMC employees went on a strike, protesting the incident.
Nikam, who belongs to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, has been protesting over the polluted Ulhas river, demanding the civic officials to clean it as it supplies water to residents.
On March 22, Nikam started his protest against the UMC for its failure to close the Khemani nullah that flows into the Ulhas river, leading to pollution. He called off the protest after MNS chief met him and asked him to withdraw the strike.
On Wednesday, he went to the UMC headquarters with his supporters, barged into civic commissioner Manohar Hire’s cabin and demanded an explanation for the delay in closing the Khemani nullah.
Hire called the engineer, Kalai Selvan, into his cabin. He could not give a valid explanation about the work. This angered Nikam, who poured water over him. He was carrying a bottle of nullah water with him.
The incident triggered protest and the UMC employees gathered at the entrance and raised slogans against Nikam. The workers have decided to strike work until action is taken against Nikam. Workers union leader Charansinha Taak asked its workers go stop the work and called up all the UMC officials at the entrance gate and demanded stringent action against Nikam. Women workers went on strike soon after the news about the incident spread across the UMC premises.
The workers also demanded that MNS workers not be allowed to enter the civic body headquarters. The UMC officials lodged a complaint against Nikam at the Ulhasnagar Central police station. “We have recorded the offence against Nikam. He will be arrested. We will investigate the case and take action,” said Vasant Jadhav, deputy commissioner of police. The police have registered a case under IPC sections 353,143, 332, 323 and 506.