Hundreds of micro-pieces of human flesh were recovered from the blocked drainage of a housing society in Virar West on Tuesday morning. The matter came to light after the residents of Bachraj Paradise of Evershine Avenue complained of a choked drainage system and saw three pieces of human fingers floating in the drain, when it was opened for repair.

However, the police are yet to trace the head and bones of the body, and the gender of the deceased is to be ascertained. The pieces have been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory in Kalina where "scientists will conduct a dactylography of the chopped fingers to ascertain its identity", said a source in the Palghar police station. (Dactylography is the scientific study of fingerprints to ascertain identity)

"Prima facie probe indicates that the killer has cut the body of the victim into pieces and flushed these down the toilet. The gradual accumulation and decomposition of flesh choked the drainage," said Gaurav Singh, superintendent of police, Palghar district.

A local resident, requesting anonymity, told mid-day that there had been a foul smell in the locality for 10 days. "We initially mistook it for the smell of an animal carcass from the nearby drain but we were shocked to see small pieces of human flesh floating in the drain when it was opened," the resident said.

The government hospital in-charge Dr Rugved R Dudhat, who visited the spot along with a forensic team, too said that his team has mistaken the pieces of animal flesh. "The overall weight of these pieces could be nearly 40 kg," he said.

The incident has terrorised locals but the police have said there's "nothing to fear as the local area is being properly scanned." Vijaykant Sagar, additional superintendent of police, Vasai division, said, "A case under section murder (302) and disappearance of evidence (201) has been registered at Arnala police station."

"More of them will be taken out from the drain on Wednesday. We have called in a team of fire brigade on the spot," Jayant Bajbhale, Deputy SP said. Arnala police have recorded the statements of many people and the suspect has been detained, said the source.

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The SSC paper leak case this year probably has a first — parents of some students are under the police scanner for allegedly buying the question paper for their children. Following preliminary investigations, the cops are likely to pick up some of the parents in the case. Surprisingly, the students who received the papers are academically bright and there is no reason for them to indulge in such an act, the police said.

A police source close to the investigations revealed, "We noticed that students had received these papers and that their parents, too, were aware about it and vice versa in some cases. We have also got the names of a few parents who have bought these question papers for their children. Also, the students who bought these question papers have taken the money from their parents after telling them the reason for it."

Career Classes in Bhiwandi, whose owner, Wazir Rehman Shaikh, allegedly sent out question papers on WhatsApp

On Wednesday, two police stations in Bhiwandi registered separate paper leak FIRs. The first case was registered at Bhiwandi City police station earlier in the day by Govind Sharma, founder of Samvad Foundation, an NGO. He alerted the board after he and several of his colleagues received the History paper on their phones at 10.10 am; the exams begin at 11 am. The police have already arrested Wazir Rehman Shaikh, owner of Career Classes, from Bhiwandi, for sending out the papers on Whatsapp.

Later in the day, the Narpoli police filed an FIR on the complaint of a teacher after three girl students were found discussing the History and Political Science papers on WhatsApp. Preliminary investigations in both cases has put some parents in the dock.

The leaked question papers that were circulated via whatsapp

Questioning everyone
When contacted, DCP Zone-II Ankit Goel said, "We are questioning everyone right from students to their parents. It is part of our investigation to know each one's role in order to reach the main culprit."

He added, "There is a complete trail. We have arrested one accused who is not the main accused in this case, but with his help we are trying to reach the mastermind. We are going back to every message for this. We need a few more days to investigate and reach the main accused who took the photos of the question papers."

The cops are closely monitoring the images circulated on the WhatsApp group and are analysing the photographs to reach the main accused in this case. In both the cases, the paper was leaked from Bhiwandi an hour before the exam. It indicates that someone from the centre had clicked the photos and sent it to students who then forwarded it further, a police officer said.

Paper leak trail
The police are checking every step of the question papers' journey and where exactly in the process it got leaked. The question papers are usually transported from the divisional office to custodies in each area a day before the exams. In the Mumbai division, there are 75 custodies, which are in schools, where the paper reaches a day in advance amid tight security. Depending on the distance between the custody and the exam centre, papers are sent off on the day of the exams to their respective centres. Examiners then break the question paper seal and distribute the papers to students 10 minutes before the exam starts to give students time to read it.

The two cases
On Wednesday morning, the Bhiwandi police registered an FIR under the Information Technology Act under the IPC as well as the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act after receiving a complaint from the Mumbai divisional board.
The same night they made one arrest.

Later that day, the board's flying squad caught three girl students with mobile phones seated inside an autorickshaw. They were in the vehicle despite the last bell being sounded to enter the exam hall.

"The students were supposed to be in the exam hall by 10.15am. They had History and Political Science papers. A day before, they had created a group called 'Toppers' and in the morning they circulated the question papers. We have seized their phones and six others who received these papers. These girls seem to be toppers," said MB Shinde, senior inspector of Narpoli police station in Bhiwandi.

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A four-way conference call between us, Sharon Isbin, and Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash makes one thing crystal clear. The two sarod-playing brothers have unfettered respect for the Grammy-winning American guitarist, since they consider it an "honour" to be collaborating with her for an unusual concert slated for later this week. It's a word they use multiple times during the phone call. And Isbin, on her part, tells us from Kolkata that she's as enthused about the performance as anyone else.

The gig is unusual because it isn't everyday in our country that the worlds of Indian and western classical music collide on stage. Isbin is one of the world's leading lights in the latter genre. But her introduction to western classical music was wholly by accident. "We were living in Italy for a year when I was nine years old, and my older brother asked for guitar lessons. But he didn't want to study classical. He wanted to be Elvis Presley. So, I volunteered to take his place and raised my hand out of family duty," she reveals, adding that while her father was a nuclear scientist, it was her mother who ensured that she received a solid musical education.

It's a different story for the Bangash brothers, of course. It's almost as if it was preordained that they would take to the sarod, considering that their father, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, is one of the world's most prolific practitioners of the instrument. But even though they have collaborated with many different musicians — including with Derek Trucks of the rock band Allman Brothers — this is the first time that they will be playing in India with Isbin, who they have known for years.

Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash

Ayaan says, "Sharon and we have had mutual admiration for each other's cultures, and I think it's really important to connect with the individual with whom you'll be performing. Also, since we have known each other for a long time, it was easier to develop the music. It's taken us around six years to compose this piece, and I'm glad that everything has fallen into place for us to perform it in India for the first time."

And Isbin adds that her affinity for Indian string instruments began when she was in college. "I loved listening to the sitar, sarod and the tabla back then, and would go to raga concerts because I found them to be meditative. I have also studied transcendental meditation, which of course originated in India, and have been practising it since my teens. That's every single day for many years. So, I have a certain spiritual attraction to the culture and the music here," she says.

Amaan, meanwhile, points out how the sarod and classical guitar have a shared commonality, in that they belong to the larger family of string instruments. Think about it. The guitar, in India, has had a profile that's associated more with jazz, rock 'n' roll and electronic music. Rarely, if ever, has the western classical guitar been heard here in this kind of a collaboration, which also features tabla player Vijay Ghate and mridangam exponent Sridhar Parthasarthy. "We have never played these pieces with a guitar before. But both are string instruments. One is played with the fingertip and the other is played with the finger nails. So, the technical approach isn't wholly different," he tells us, while Ayaan adds that playing this composition will be different for the brothers because they are sticking to a written score.

He further says, "I think everyone's music is a reflection of who they are as individuals. Their soul comes out through their music. And all of us have come out of our comfort zones here to reach a meeting point. Eventually, though, things just happen on stage, you know? You might rehearse all you want, but at the end of the day, what the piece shapes us as is something that has some kind of energy and universal blessing, and we hope to reach that final destination with dignity and grace."

ON February 21, 8 pm
AT Royal Opera House, Girgaum.
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com entry '300 onwards

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Girgaum Chowpatty in South Mumbai is set to undergo a major transformation. The beach will be declared Mumbai's first Clean Street Hub by the Food Safety Standards of India(FSSI) and the Food and Drugs Administration(FDA) on February 28.

The shop vendors will wear uniforms which have logos of their individual brands and swachhata ambassadors will pick up litter and educate citizens about public hygiene. The beach will also have live performances by street artists.

Mumbai Mirror quoted Vishwas Mote, assistant commissioner D ward as saying, We received FDA and FSSI guidelines from Delhi under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on maintaining hygiene at Bhel Plaza. We had audited the stalls in December and completed their training in January."

He also added that the trees around the stalls will have tree guards and seating arrangements will be made for people to sit and enjoy live performances on the beach.

"This is being revamped to international standards. There will more lights for the stalls. And to inculcate a sense of responsibility in keeping the stalls clean, the stall owners will hire two swachhta ambassadors. They will pick up any thrown litter, and will educate people on civic sense, to make them responsible for their own garbage."

Mote also mentioned that the Swachhata ambassadors will be given white uniforms and white caps. He said, "It is a multi-directional approach, where even helpers and chefs will sport branded uniforms for each stall, and the boards and nameplates will have a uniform design. The common hand-washing area for patrons will also be spruced up."

A vendor, Atul Gupta said that they had received training for four hours from the BMC.

He added, "We were told that if we had any vices like chewing tobacco or smoking, we should do it outside the beach, and not while serving customers. We were given minute details about washing hands and serving customers. We were instructed not just to clean the work stations, but also the inside of refrigerators. If we keep our surroundings clean, it will also keep rats and roaches at bay."

Indrani Malkani who is the member of the high-powered committee appointed by Bombay High Court said, "Hygiene is an all-encompassing aspect. Not just cooking part, but even when they are washing up. Street food is a great attraction in South East Asian countries, and Girgaum Chowpatty is synonymous with bhelpuri. The idea of inculcating hygiene habits among those who make and serve food is the prime focus."

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Parvaaz, a four-member outfit, believes in spreading the message of peace through their progressive rock music with guitar-driven compositions. With their Urdu lyrics and the familiar sound of chimes, the soundscape is a refreshing change. Now, they are back in the city for a gig that promises to be about the coming together of western guitar techniques and Indian elements, making them one among a handful of true-blue fusion indie bands today.

Parvaaz, which translates to "flight", came together in 2010 when childhood friends Khalid Ahmed and Mir Kashif Iqbal (both on vocals and guitar), reconnected in Bengaluru over their shared love for blues rock melodies, and were joined by Sachin Banandur (drums and percussions) and Fidel D'Souza (bass). But they only started developing their own sound two years later. "We were playing at competitions and winning, which was a great boost. We felt confident enough to make original music, and our sound shifted towards progressive and classic rock of the '60s and '70s," says Ahmed, quoting Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Indian Ocean and Avial, as their influences.

It was a process of trial and error till they found the best way to let all their individual influences flow while jamming, which is when the Urdu lyrics also came in, the natural form of communication for two members at least. "Hindi and Urdu come naturally to us. Singing in English would have just not flowed with the music. Besides, the sound of the fusion that comes out of a merging of different styles of music is what our goal has been. It is the sound that guides most of our writing," says Ahmed.

Their lyrics primarily talk about the human nature and comprise metaphorical poetry, like their song Beparwah, which talks about man's dependence on materialistic objects, and Shaad, which is about loss and regret.

Khalid Ahmed

But lyrics are the last thing that get added onto their music, and that too if they deem it necessary. "A lot of our jams just end up being instrumental, and hence our seven minute-long songs," reasons Ahmed.

They will also be playing some new songs from their upcoming album that they have been putting together for four years, and will be releasing later this year. For fans who like to sing along, they will also perform songs from their first EP and debut album, including Ziyankar and the achingly serene Itne Arse Ke Baad, which echoes a longing to go back home. Home, for Ahmed and Iqbal, is a sensitive issue now, since both hail from Kashmir, which is still trying to heal from the Pulwama attack. Both were reluctant to comment, and as they say, prefer to let their music do the talking.

ON February 21, 9 pm
AT FLEA Bazaar Cafe, first floor, Oasis Complex, PB Marg, Lower Parel 
Call 24970740
LOG ON TO insider.in
COST Rs 499 onwards

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Head to the ninth edition of NCPA Sama'a: The Mystic Ecstasy which is back this weekend and will acquaint attendees with Sufi ideology through music and dance performances by Indian and international artists.

The three-day festival will feature four events. On the first day, for which the theme is, One truth, many paths, musician duo Sourendro and Soumyojit and Saleem Hasan Chishti and Group will perform. On day two, enjoy musical and dance acts by Sanjukta Wagh, Radhika Sood Nayak, Hitesh Dhutia and Vinayak Netke as well as a performance by the Egyptian mawlawiyah group.

End the extravaganza on a happy note with Sufiana songs and in the company of artistes Salim and Sulaiman, as well as Rajasthani folk singers.

ON February 22 to 24, 6.30 pm
AT NCPA, Sir Dorabji Tata Road, Nariman Point
CALL 66223754
COST Rs 250 to 3,000

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Yes, you would have possibly spotted him somewhere. Probably in a movie. Most thi­nk that actor Ash Chand­l­er, who is performing wi­th his outfit Redux this weekend, has taken up mu­sic recently. The tr­uth is he fi­rst came to India (fr­om the US, where he grew up) in 1999 to release a Hindi pop album, and actually started out as stand-up comedian. 

While he paid attention to his acting career, it was when he had an accident four years ago that he felt revived — as did the musician in him. And he formed Ash Chandler Redux with Angelo Colaco (drums), Keith Donald (bass), Rahul Wadhwani (keys), Ulric Sequeira (guitar), Anand Vaity (saxophone, clarinet) and Heather Andrews (vocals).

The gig will include their re­ndition of jazz standards and tango cl­a­ssics in Spanish. "I want to write songs about lo­ve, and the nature of hum­a­ns. My original work hasn't be­en political. But I do be­lieve in spreading the me­ssage that everyone has to start accepting th­e­mselves and not seek va­lidation. It's crucial for pe­ace. Every drop of bl­o­od will result in 10 mo­re drops," he concludes.

ON March 3, 7 pm
AT NCPA,Tata Theatre, Nariman Point 
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Cost Rs 300 onwards

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Embarking on a promotional spree, Sanya Malhotra had a fun interaction with real-life photographers clicking pictures against Gateway of India as well as with the photographers. Sharing her picture from the visit Sanya Malhotra says,

"Saalon baad jab ye aap photo dekhengi, aapko aapke chehre pe yahi dhoop dikhayi degi, aapke baalon mein ye hawa aur apke kaano mein hazaro logo ki awaaz.. hamesha ke liye sab chalajayega."

 

 

 

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Saalon baad jab ye aap photo dekhengi, aapko aapke chehre pe yahi dhoop dikhayi degi, aapke baalon mein ye hawa aur apke kaano mein hazaro logo ki awaaz.. hamesha ke liye sab chalajayega. . . Smile please!📸 #photograph #gatewayofindia @photographamzn #9daystogo

A post shared by Sanya Malhotra💥 (@sanyamalhotra_) onMar 6, 2019 at 12:39am PST

The film brings to the screen the story of a photographer at Gateway of India who convinces a stranger to act as his love interest to help his ailing grandmother. Nawazuddin Siddiqui will essay the role of the photographer, while Sanya Malhotra plays his muse.

Earlier, Sanya Malhotra who had a working birthday took out time and celebrated the special occasion with the paparazzi. Recently, National Award-winning filmmaker Ritesh Batra hosted a special screening of Photograph for film students prior to its theatrical release. Post the screening, the director interacted with the students and engaged in a discussion about films and their making.

Sanya garnered immense love and appreciation for her performance in Photograph when the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival 2019. The trailer brings to screen a sweet, innocent, and refreshing chemistry with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra's first association.

Written and directed by Ritesh Batra, Photograph is presented by Amazon Studious in association with The Match Factory and is slated to release in India on March 15, 2019.

Also read: Team Photograph shares a video on Nawazuddin Siddiqui's character

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Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta's 'mala and mehendi' function in Mumbai was a fun event that had dance, music. Since the families have urged guests to let the private events remain as private as possible, the social networking world gave just a glimpse into Thursday's celebrations at the Dome, NSCI, Worli.

One video doing the rounds with the wedding's hashtag #AkuStoleTheShlo shows the bride's family dancing away on a fancy stage to "Iski uski" from "2 States". The stage was quite elaborately decorated according to the images that surfaced on social media.

 

 

 

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Glimpses of the decor last night for the #Mala&Mehndi of #AkashAndShloka at NSCI Dome ! âÂœ¨

A post shared by Akash Ambani Weds Shloka Mehta (@akashwedsshloka) onMar 7, 2019 at 10:10pm PST

 

 

 

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Glimpses of the decor last night for the #Mala&Mehndi of #AkashAndShloka at NSCI Dome ! #BigFatIndianWedding . . . #akashambani #shlokamehta #nitaambani #ishaambani #anantambani #radhikamerchant #antilia #ambani #akashwedsshloka #akashambanipreweddingbash #mukeshambani #india #bigfatindianwedding #richindian #akashshlokawedding #akustoletheshlo #luxurylifestyle #royalwedding #antilia #Decorgoals #weddingdecoration #ambaniwedding #shlokamehtamehndi #shlokaakashmehendi #nscidome #mehendi #mehndi

A post shared by Akash Ambani Weds Shloka Mehta (@akashwedsshloka) onMar 7, 2019 at 10:14pm PST

Pre-wedding celebrations have been on in full swing at the Ambani and Mehta houses. Akash is the son of Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, while Shloka is the youngest daughter of diamond merchant Russell Mehta. There is huge interest in the wedding, especially after the scale at which the industrialist's daughter Isha got married last year.

A dandiya night in Mumbai was followed by a three-day star-studded celebration for Akash and Shloka in St. Moritz, Switzerland, last month. Functions have been on in Mumbai since the beginning of March.

They reportedly had a Harry Potter-themed party where Guru Randhawa took the stage, as well as a musical night concert with Shreya Ghoshal behind the mic. An 'Anna Sewa' was also organised on Wednesday night at the Jio World Centre, which is the venue for all three forthcoming functions.

After the wedding on March 9 is a celebration on March 10, followed by a reception on March 11. The main galas are likely to attend to be attended by a slew of guests from the Bollywood, political and sports world.

Check out the photos and videos here...

 

 

 

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Shloka’s fam, #TeamBride killing it at the dance floor at the Mehendi Night! 🕺🏻💃🏻 . . #AkashAmbani #ShlokaMehta #AkuStoleTheShlo #MukeshAmbani #NitaAmbani #IshaAmbani #AnandPiramal #KokilaBenAmbani #AnantAmbani #RadhikaMerchant #AmbaniWedding #India #Celebrations #IndianWedding #AkashShloka #AkaShloka #RoyalWedding #BigFatIndianWedding #Mehendi #MehendiNight #Dance #DancePerformance

A post shared by Akash Ambani 💍 Shloka Mehta (@akustoletheshlo) onMar 7, 2019 at 11:48am PST

 

 

 

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First glimpse of how grand the “Mala & Mehendi” function of Akash Ambani & Shloka Mehta is! ♥ï¸Â Love it. Also, zoom into the first picture as much as you can, because, the bride to be, Shloka is sitting right there in the centre! 😍🤩 . Follow @akustoletheshlo for all the latest updates about the Ambani Wedding. ðŸ¤Â— . . #AkashAmbani #ShlokaMehta #AkuStoleTheShlo #MukeshAmbani #NitaAmbani #IshaAmbani #AnandPiramal #KokilaBenAmbani #AnantAmbani #RadhikaMerchant #AmbaniWedding #India #Celebrations #IndianWedding #AkashShloka #AkaShloka #RoyalWedding #BigFatIndianWedding #Mehendi #MehendiNight #WeddingRituals #BrideToBe

A post shared by Akash Ambani 💍 Shloka Mehta (@akustoletheshlo) onMar 7, 2019 at 6:10am PST

 

 

 

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Shloka Mehta’s Mala & Mehndi to take place today at NSCI Dome 5.15 pm onwards!

A post shared by Akash Ambani Weds Shloka Mehta (@akashwedsshloka) onMar 7, 2019 at 4:50am PST

Ahead of the wedding of his son, industrialist Mukesh Ambani has sent boxes containing sweets to the around 50,000 police personnel in the metropolis. Every police station in Mumbai is receiving the boxes from the family of the Reliance Industries chairman, whose son Akash Ambani is getting married here on March 9, an official said.

The boxes are accompanied by a small card carrying the names of Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita and their children and messages seeking blessings and good wishes, said a police constable, who recently received one such box. "I got the box of sweets from police station and came to know it has been sent by Ambani's family on the occasion of his son's wedding," he said.

Also Read: Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta wedding: Here's all that you need to know

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The world needs The Maniac. That's the name of the central character in a play called The Accidental Death of an Anarchist, written by the Nobel Prize-winning Italian Dario Fo in 1970. The plot is highly political. It involves the protagonist infiltrating a brutally corrupt system, and exposing the powers that be as being the emperor with no clothes. And in the process, he has the bad guys scrambling for cover since their misdeeds are out in the open. These villains — specifically, the police force in this case — are forced to resort to 10 lies to hide just one.

The same play has been adapted in an Indian context by Amitabh Srivastava, and is called Operation Three Star. A staging of it will take place in the city this weekend, directed by Arvind Gaur of Asmita Theatre. Gaur tells us about how the story line is timeless, and can fit any part of the world where there is an unjust hierarchical structure at work. But before we examine why that is, let's draw an outline of the plot.

The Maniac being interrogated

The curtains open to reveal an inspector interrogating The Maniac for being a fraudster. But the dim-witted policeman's IQ is no match for the highly intelligent Maniac's. So, the latter constantly outsmarts him. He intercepts a phone call that the cop gets when he is away for a little while. The caller is a superior who wanted to let the inspector know that he is needed back in the police station for a case where an anarchist has been accidentally killed. A judge is about to arrive to find out about the more minute details of the case. And hearing this, The Maniac gives the inspector the slip and decides to go to the station himself, posing as the judge.
Once there, The Maniac inadvertently learns that the death of the so-called anarchist was not in fact an accident, but a murder at the hands of the police forces. The latter are thus now trying to concoct an elaborate web of deceit to wipe their hands clean. This leads The Maniac to assume the role of a crusader, and trick the police into admitting their own guilt. And the curtains fall with an open ending, where The Maniac asks a journalist covering the case to choose between two possible scenarios.

Arvind Gaur

So, how does the same plot reflect our own times, in India? "It's through the metaphor of encounter killings, for one," Gaur tells us. He says, "There was a time when encounter cases were rampant. But then people started talking about the issue. A hue and cry was made whenever there was such a killing. And the start of that conversation eventually led to the numbers reducing, because if you think about it, there are a lot less encounter cases now than before."

Gaur adds that since there is no one superhero called The Maniac who can single-handedly rid society of corruption — there are, for instance, ethical hackers, rights activists and investigative journalists collectively doing the same job — the onus lies on individuals to address any corruption they come across. "Each of us needs to identify an issue and then talk about it to reach a solution, because if we stay mum, the unjust will get away and things will carry on as they are," he explains. The power to make a difference then lies in our own hands, he says, meaning every member of society is The Maniac to some extent. And it's just that the world needs us to recognise ourselves as being one.

ON March 15, 7.30 pm.
AT Veda Factory, bungalow no - 120, opposite Gulshan Colony Co-Op Housing Society, Aram Nagar Part 2, Versova, Andheri West
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
COST Rs 200

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Explore the hidden village of Chuim, a small settlement in Bandra. The former farming hamlet is mostly populated by the East Indian community, the city’s original inhabitants. Lesser known than the popular settlements of Pali and Ranwar, Chuim village offers a new and relatively unseen face of the city. Walk 221: ChuimChronicles, the 90-minute tour, involves a deep dive into Chuim and covers interactive sessions about East Indian culture, stories, traditions and the heritage of the settlement.

ON March 16, 5 pm
MEETING POINT St Vincent De Paul Church, Chuim Village, Khar West
CALL 8828100111
COST Rs 499

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Industrialist Gautam Singhania and wife Nawaz Modi Singhania attended the starry celebration in honour of newly-weds Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta on March, 10, 2019. Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta tied the knot on March 09, 2019, in the presence of their family and friends. The newly-married couple's wedding was attended by various celebs from business, politics, Bollywood, and sports worlds. The lovebirds, who are childhood friends, got married in a lavish ceremony at the Jio World Centre, Bandra-Kurla Complex.

A big fat party was thrown by the Ambanis to welcome the newlywed couple the Jio World Centre which saw all the big personalities of Mumbai together. Industrialist Gautam Singhania and wife Nawaz Modi Singhania graced the celebration with their presence at Bandra-Kurla Complex. Gautam Singhania was suited up in a dashing royal blue suit paired with a striped tie. Nawaz Modi Singhania, his wife complimented his dark suit with a bright red saree and a trendy sleeveless blouse with golden embroidery. She also completed her elegant attire with a jewelry set made of heavy green stones.

Also Read: Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta's party: Natasha Poonawalla makes a glitzy appearance

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Going to a new restaurant is no longer about discovering what it has to offer on arrival. An online recce of the place is now part of the eating-out ritual. So, when we spot bhutte ki kees on the menu of The Culture House in Girgaum, we know we are ordering the much-loved dish from Indore's Sarafa Bazaar to satiate our Madhya Pradeshi palate — and to employ it as a litmus test to gauge the attention the recently opened restaurant pays to the vegetarian flavours of northern and western India it promises to bring to Mumbaikars.

We head to the eatery with a friend on a crisp Wednesday night, where we are welcomed by a hospitable staff. The spacious dining area has a haveli-like feel with chandeliers and wooden engravings. Located on a slightly raised level, it even has a vintage elevator for guests; a thoughtful addition, the friend points out.

Bhutte ki kees

As planned, we call for the bhutte ki kees (Rs 279) from the starters right away. "It will be made of sweet corn, though," the server tells us. Important information, considering the original recipe features desi corn, a monsoon crop, which isn't as sweet. But we are used to this jugaad at home, too, and are keen on seeing how the chef finds his way around it. The dish arrives in quick time, but is of a runnier consistency than it should be, and the mild use of spices does little to combat the extra sweetness. Disappointed, we move on to the one-plate meals, from which we pick the khichu khau suey (Rs 379) and Delhi stuff chilla (Rs 279).

Khichyu khausuey

The chilla, or besan pancake, is a staple on winter shaadi menus up north, served sizzling hot. We like the twist of stuffing it with paneer bhurji, but in the process, the chilla seems to have stayed on the tava a tad too long. The khau suey, a Gujarati twist on the Burmese dish, is what has got us all excited. And digging into the cotton-soft rice flour balls swimming in a coconut milk and curd broth leaves us reaching for more. The fried onions, peanuts and soya sticks make for the perfect accompaniments. But we do agree with our fellow diner when she remarks that the broth could have been thicker.

From the plethora of mains, we go for green Gujarat with bhakri (Rs 449). The undhiyo-like sabzi made with fewer winter veggies tastes just fine, as does the accompanying kadhi, but there is little on the platter that justifies the steep price.

Strawberry phirni

It's time for dessert, and from the seasonal options, we pick their strawberry phirni (Rs 349), which is a regular phirni topped with slices of the fruit. The moongdal sheera (Rs 299), when had later at home, reminds us of another winter shaadi indulgence, but we have tasted better versions. We'll return another day. But only because there is still much left to be tried from the vast menu.

AT The Culture House, Soni Building, opposite Bharati Vidya Bhavan, Girgaum
Time 11 am to 11.30 pm
CALL 30151598

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A 64-year-old woman sustained serious injuries on Monday morning when a part of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) roof collapsed in BDD chawl number 18-A in Dadar's Naigaon area. The victim identified as Chanchala Londe and her family were asleep when a huge part of the roof fell on her at around 4.30 am in the night.

Pic courtesy/ Suraj Ojha

Londe's son Vijay Londe told mid-day," This is not the first incident when something collapsed from the building. Several incidents have occurred before in other buildings this, however, this has happened for the first time in our home. My son was in the same room and immediately alerted other family members residing in other flats. We then rushed my mother to KEM hospital."

When asked the victim about the incident, she stated that a huge block of cement fell on her head and she was shocked to hear the loud noise followed by blood trickling down from her scalp. The doctors from KEM suggested for an X-ray and after a few medical check-ups, Londe was allowed to go home with 12 stitches. After the incident, PWD sent a few men at around 9:30 am to repair the RCC roof.

"I do not know when the redevelopment will start. We did not oppose to government plans but we do have certain demands and expectations from the government. Since they have been ignoring these demands, our redevelopment has been delayed and this is how such incidents take place at BDD colonies," Londe added.

Also Read: CST foot overbridge collapse: Victims yet to receive any official letter of compensation

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Every city has spaces that have, over the years, become more than just restaurants. They're like little museums of unwritten history, archiving the city's journey through old chinaware, faded signboards and staff that has probably been around for as long as the establishment. Spaces that leave regulars despondent when they shutter, almost as if they have lost one of their own.

Mumbai has its distinct culinary heritage, represented in part by corner-side cafés run by the Irani Zoroastrians and Muslims who made this city their home in the early 1900s. At this year's The Guide Restaurant Awards 2019 presented by mid-day, we celebrate the culinary contribution of this community by honouring 10 surviving cafés. Unique to Mumbai, these Irani cafés have fought inflation, the fast food invasion and a future generation that would rather pick a professional degree over manning a family establishment at low profits. Back in Iran, the Zoroastrians and Muslims, celebrate the onset of spring with the festival of Navroze (new day) on March 21. In Mumbai, it's a day typified by feasting around family.

Six of the 10 winners of this coveted award, discuss what Navroze means to them and the signature dishes to try at their cafes.

Byculla Restaurant and Bakery

Don't forget to try: Mutton pattice
"Since Navroze is a holiday, we keep the shop closed and enjoy ourselves at home. After offering prayers, we relish a feast of kheema and falooda," says Darius Ferzandi, owner. "At night, we have a glass of beer or a peg of whisky and then, off to sleep," he jokes. The best dish here is the mutton pattice (Rs 18).

At: Alexandra Terrace, Byculla Station, Byculla East.
Time: 8 am to 11 pm
Call: 23727375

Cafe Dela Paix

Gustad Dinshaw

Don't forget to try: Egg akuri
Gustad Dinshaw, owner of the 80-year-old café in Girgaum, tells us, "Navroze is the augment of spring and we worship fire, so it's mostly about getting together and offering prayers. We lay out the sofrah table each year and look forward to the rituals." The top selling dish at this café is the humble egg akuri (Rs 30).

At: 7, Shanker Seth Road, Avantikabai Gokhale Street, Opera House, Girgaum.
Time: 10 am to 10 pm
Call: 23824384

Cafe Colony

Don't forget to try: Mutton biryani
For Mirza Mohammed Nazariyan, owner Aga Nazariyan's son, Navroze is all about celebrating togetherness. "The festival is synonymous with happiness and a time for our family to come together," Mirza tells us, adding that while the mutton biryani (Rs 280) is a crowd pleaser, it's his personal favourite, too.

At: Road 1, Shrikanth Lodge, near Tilak Bridge, Hindu Colony, Dadar East.
Time: 6 am to 10.30 pm
Call: 24142321

Cafe Excelsior

Mutton cutlet gravy

Don't forget to try: Mutton cutlet
"A different animal or bird is associated with every new year. This year, it's white pig," explains Ardeshir Maskoori, owner of one of the most popular Irani cafés in the city, which completed a century last month. "It's very difficult for me to pick one favourite dish, but if I had to, I would suggest the mutton cutlet [Rs 300 dry; Rs 320 with gravy]," he says.

Ardeshir Maskoori

At: 23, AK Nayak Marg, opposite New Excelsior Cinema, Fort.
Time: 8 am to 11 pm
Call: 22074543

Ideal Corner

Don't forget to try: Salli boti
At this Fort eatery, Navroze beckons a special menu featuring all-time favourites like pulao dal, salli boti (Rs 180), and mutton dhansak (Rs 230). When asked what the festival means to the family, partner Parvez Patel says, "To drink and make merry."

At: 12 F/G, Hornby View, Gunbow Street, Fort.
Time: 12 pm to 10 pm
Call: 22621930

Koolar & Co

The sofrah at Irani's home last year

Don't forget to try: Irani delight
At Koolar & Co's owner Amir Koolar Irani's home, sofrah, the laying of the table with a mirror, fruits, nuts, alcohol and other goodies on Navroze, is a big affair. "My favourite festival here is Diwali, but Navroze takes us back to our roots," Irani shares, adding, "You must come and try the Irani delight [Rs 120]. It's a unique dish made with egg and honey."

Amir Koolar Irani

At: 541, Noor Mahal, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, Adenwada Road, Matunga East.
Time: 7 am to 11 pm
Call: 24125062

Caramel custard

Winning Irani cafes

*Kyani & Co: AT JSS Road, Marine Lines. Call: 61229437
*Cosmopolitan: AT 133, Raja Rammohan Roy Road. Call: 23826737
*Sassanian Boulangerie: AT Dhobi Talao, Marine Lines. Call: 22006198
*Cafe Military: AT Tamarind Lane, Fort. Call: 22654181

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Breakfast is the most important meal, which many of us tend to skip due to hectic schedules, leaving only Sundays to indulge in a lazy brekkie. Ours consists of pork sausages, creamy and cheesy scrambled eggs made in the sausage fat, and toast, with of course, coffee.

Chef Pablo Naranjo Agular of Le 15 Cafe, has fond memories of waffles in the shape of Mickey Mouse, with a pair of sunny side ups, drizzled with sriracha and sesame oil sauce. And so, for this edition of the eatery's monthly Table 13 evening on Wednesday, they are serving breakfast for dinner so you can eat at leisure.

Chef Pablo Naranjo Agular

"Making breakfast was a family activity and a beautiful memory. My parents loved cycling, so they would go off on Sunday mornings for three hours, which gave me enough time to cook something for them, with my little sister. I loved how happy they were when they came back and we sat down to eat. We would listen to old Colombian salsa that my father would put on," chef Agular shares.

Pablo's waffles 

While he is currently struggling to narrow down his list of 48 breakfast items, you can expect pancakes, waffles, bacon, and of course, eggs, along with some Indian options, all with a signature twist. "The menu will be inspired by what the French eat, which is on the sweeter side, as well as the not-so-sweet Colombian flavours," he says. And the idea too germinated when he was eating his favourite breakfast — waffles topped with egg and bacon — and owner Pooja Dhingra walked in and tried it. Book ahead because seats are limited.

Pooja Dhingra

ON March 27, 8 pm
AT Le 15 Cafe, shop number 18, Lansdowne House, MB Marg, Colaba
CALL 9769341994
LOG ON TO insider.in
COST Rs 2,800

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In Mumbai and all over India, today 6th April marks the traditional New Year for Maharashtrians which signifies the welcoming of the spring. As people welcome the New Year with much fervour and enthusiasm, thousands of men and women in Mumbai take to the streets and participate in Shobha Yatras. One such yatra is that of Girgaon Padwa Shobha Yatra, one of the biggest and oldest Shobha Yatras in Mumbai. Every year, the highlight of this Shobha yatra is Dr. Aparna Bandodkar, and her bike 'Bijli; together they have become the face of the Girgaon Padwa Shobha Yatra. Since 2013, Bandodkar has been actively participating in the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra and riding her motorcycle with varied themes, thereby promoting the Maharashtrian culture and ringing in the New Year in style.

Also Read: Gudi Padwa 2019: All you need to know about the festival

Just as the people welcome the New Year across Mumbai, Maharashtra, we had the opportunity to interact with Dr. Aparna Bandodkar who in a candid conversation talks about the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra and more.

Aparna Bandodkar and other women ride motorcycles during the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

Since how long have you been taking part in the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra. How has the journey been so far?

I have been taking part in the Girgaon Padwa Shobha Yatra since 2013. After I had my own bike, the very first thing that I wanted to do was ride inter-state and complete a part of my bucket list i.e. wearing a nine-yard sari and going to Girgaon. The Girgaon padava celebration started in 2002 and back then I used to see pictures of ladies who used to take part in the yatra. That's how I went to girgaon and they wholeheartedly welcomed me with my bullet. Post that, it became a ritual and this will be my eight year at Girgaon padwa celebration.

I started riding bullet at the Girgaon Shobha yatra in 2013 but before me, there were other women with different types of scooters and bikes who took part in the rally. It was the media who hyped it as I was the first woman to ride a bullet at the Girgaon Shobha yatra. Back then, a woman on a bullet was something new and at the time there were very few women riders. Now, the number of women riders is ever increasing. Today women ride heavier and meaner machines.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Chudiya pehenne ka samay, aa chuka hai ! We wear bangles & ride the mean machines , our motorcycles too! #new look #shobhayatra #happiness #bijli #ridingisthereason #happinessisachoice #happinessishere #royalenfield #bulletjournal #bullet #ladyrider #riderchick #sherides #bulletmania #shobhayatra #womenpower #powerfulwomen #bindi #tattoo #bangles #throttle #getenchanted #soon #keepcalm #bijli #iscomingsoon #ridemode🔛 #bharatmatakijai #svypgirgaon #jaibhavani #jaishivaji #girgoanchapadwa

A post shared by Aparna Bandodkar (@enfieldmaniac) onApr 4, 2019 at 9:13pm PDT

How has the Girgaum Padwa Shobha yatra changed since the time you took part back in 2013?

At that time, the Girgaon padwa was not so glamorous as it is now. It was a very low key affair but today it is celebrated on a grander scale.

When I joined in 2013 there were about 15 women bikers and slowly and steadily the number has increased over the years. Today the majority of the women are on geared motorcycles and then there are scooters, vintage bikes and much more. Last year there were about 80-to 85 women taking part in the Shobha yatra on the bike. Women come far off from Vasai, Mulund, New Bombay to take part in the Gudi padwa celebrations. People are willing to travel and come and take part in the rally. There are a couple of women who even ride Harley Davidson bikes for the rally", says Bandodkar when asked how the Girgaon Shobha yatra has evolved over the years.

Aparna Bandodkar dons biking shoes on her traditional attire during the Girgaon Shobha yatra

Can you share a funny incident that took place with you during one of the Shobha yatras?

The very first day I took part my slippers broke when I tried to kickstart the bike. I was left with no choice but to take out my biking shoes and wear them with the nine-yard sari.

What kind of impact do you feel the Girgaum Padava Shobha Yatra has created?

Once you take part in the Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra, you get confidence and you are not the same person anymore. Many more women come to the rally and then they realise their potential. Taking part in the yatra also boosts your confidence as you see more women taking part and breaking stereotypes.

Also Read: Urmila Matondkar spotted at Gudi Padwa bike rally in Mumbai

Such is the impact that, Aparna had seen a video where Indians who are staying abroad are seen celebrating Gudi padwa and had trained themselves in dhol Tasha Pathak and even replicated the whole parade in the western country.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#girgaonchapadwa itself gave me & my beloved bijli a golden opportunity on television in 2014,after @zeemarathiofficial noticed me in the #shobhayatra & wanted me in the lead to replicate the exact festive charm of #girgaon #gudipadwa #hindunavvarsh #yatra Organised by @svyp_girgaon since 2003. That was my ticket to fame that led to back to back ads that year like zee Marathi Geet & YouTube ad for margarita with a straw ! I owe my gratitude to my dear Girgaon which is also my birthplace ( purandare hospital @ #girgaumchowpatty ) #8daystogo #cantkeepcalm #2019 #girgaonchapadwa #yetoy #sanmaan Marathi #abhimaan #marathi #mimarathi #zeemarathi P.S. and that’s my wedding #nauvari of 2010 that I am wearing in the ad . Makes it truly special, isn’t it 😊 #bijli #throwback #bindi #tattoo #bangles #gajra #throttle #positivevibes #positivityisthekey #ridemode🔛 #royalenfield #bulletjournal #awesome

A post shared by Aparna Bandodkar (@enfieldmaniac) onMar 29, 2019 at 5:11am PDT

What has been your fondest memory till of Girgaon Padwa Shobha yatra?

Recalling it quite vividly, Dr, Bandodkar says, "My fondest memory is that of a girl coming to me during the 2015 padwa rally and was all in tears. She started thanking me and said that 'You don't know what have you done'. She revealed that her parents never wanted her to ride a motorcycle but after the saw Dr. Aparna Bandodkar's Shobha yatra video on National television, they allowed her to ride her motorcycle to her workplace and that she was really happy about it. While speaking to me she was in tears and this brought tears into my eyes as well."

View Photos: Gudi Padwa: 10 authentic Maharashtrian dishes to try out

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In her short but eventful life of 28 years, Amrita Sher-Gil soaked in a gamut of experiences, which she then suffused her canvas with. From her early years in Hungary, her family's move to Shimla when she was eight, her training in art in Paris, and her return to India, each phase of her life left its impression on her oeuvre. A rare solo show of Sher-Gil's artworks in the city now stitches together these chapters of her life with her brush strokes.

Amrita Sher-Gil — Perhaps it will fly away if I get up, which opens next Tuesday, kicks off the 10th-anniversary celebrations of Akara Art, founded by art dealer and consultant Puneet Shah. "We wanted to enter our 10th year with a spectacular show. Given the sheer stature of the artist and her contribution to modern Indian art, it was an obvious choice," says Shah, who has dealt in Sher-Gil's works for many years.

The sketch, Untitled, Pencil on paper, 10 x 7 inches, 1930, will be displayed at the gallery

The exhibition, titled after a poem she wrote in 1934, features an essay by Skye Arundhati Thomas, who has also written the wall text. Conceived of and curated in-house, the show includes a self-portrait in oil, seven watercolours, and six works in charcoal.

Untitled, Watercolor on paper, 14 x 10 inches, 1926 -28

"The idea was to show a large range and body of her work, and how versatile she was in different media," informs Shah. During the curatorial process, the gallery also discovered a picture of Sher-Gil at a young age in her study in Shimla, sketching a model. That drawing in charcoal is part of the show.

"With Amrita, the context gets reinvented every time her work is shown," Shah shares. "Her story will keep evolving because the character is so strong."

FROM April 9 to May 8, 11 am to 6.30 pm
AT Akara Art, 4/5 Churchill Chambers, Colaba
CALL 22025550

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A blood donation camp organised at the government-run Bombay Veterinary College on Thursday, saw seven dog parents lining up to get their pets to donate blood. As the hospital does not have a blood bank yet, the plasma and blood cells were extracted from the donated blood to be preserved for treatment of sick dogs in emergency situations, doctors said.

When 23-year-old Anita Mehra had rushed an injured dog to the Bombay Veterinary College around a month ago, the canine was bleeding profusely owing to a road accident. Doctors said that he had suffered from internal bleeding and needed a blood transfusion. Now named Tony, the stray has recovered completely and is awaiting adoption.

Tony is just one of many such dogs falling prey to road accidents every year, losing litres of blood. This how the idea for a blood donation camp for dogs came to the hospital authorities.

More than 100 stray dogs have individually donated blood here in the past four years. This blood has not only been used for dogs who are victims of accidents but also for the ones suffering from blood-related disorders. On a daily basis, the animal hospital receives five to ten cases where blood transfusion is required for injured or sick dogs.

A donation camp was, however, organised for the very first time by the hospital. While around 20 dogs were registered for the donation, around 15 of them turned up. Seven of these were found suitable for donation.

Fit for donation
The donor pet needs to be on an empty stomach at the time of donation, weigh not less than 20 kg and be in the age group 1-9 years. Dogs can donate a bag of blood (350 ml) once in three months. "Seven such units were collected on Thursday. As we cannot store whole blood, we have extracted the plasma and blood cells which can be separately stored for a year. Whole blood, on the other hand, lasts only six months," said Dr J C Khanna, director of the hospital.

Universal donors ideal
After donation, the blood is separated into further components that help in the treatment of dogs suffering from liver diseases, anaemia, internal bleeding, etc. As per the Canine Health Foundation, dogs, much like humans, have types of blood classified into groups. Dogs have over a dozen different blood groups, six of which are fairly common.

Both humans and dogs can be classified as universal donors based on their type or group. Roughly 40 per cent of dogs belong to the universal donor group. Blood from dogs belonging to the universal donor group is compatible with any recipient's blood. Dogs, too, can suffer adverse reactions to transfused blood that is of a different type than theirs, the hospital stated.

Criteria for a donor dog
* Weigh more than 20 kg
* Be in the 1-9 years age group
* Must be on an empty stomach
* Must not have donated blood in the past three months

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The Endgame is near, and we are talking quite literally here about the latest instalment in the Avengers series of superhero movies, which releases on April 26. After this week's brouhaha over Game of Thrones Season 8, it's the next big visual experience that has sent fans in a tizzy. And a pub in Khar is now hosting a pre-launch party of sorts for them, with various activities and F&B offers themed around the film.

"We have collaborated with digital community Things2doinMumbai, and brought ticket sponsors on board for the event. In terms of the activities, there are Avenger- related games and trivia, winners for which will get free tickets and discounted ones when the movie releases. We also have an array of themed cocktails in store," says Pragnesh Rai, owner of SamBar, which will host the evening, adding that there are a number of discounts on the existing menu, too, with drinks starting at Rs 39.

The cocktails include a beer-based one called black wid'wow; iron anna, which has whisky; tha end, which is vodka-based; and a super-potent Long Island iced tea that's aptly named hammered by Thor.

As for the games, these include Ant Man, where a player will be given three soda bottles and raisins. The aim is to drop these raisins from eye level into all three bottles, without bending down. Then there's Black Widow. For this, one person will hold a hula-hoop and another will have a fake spider placed on his head. The latter has to go through the hoop in the shortest possible time, without dropping the spider. All in all, it sounds like an event perfectly suited for fans of the Avengers. And even if you aren't one, you can still gain from the cheap booze, meaning it's a win-win.

ON April 18, 6.30 pm
AT SamBar Pub & Kitchen, Vora Building, 3rd Road, Khar West
Log on to insider.in
FREE

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A man died after he fell into an uncovered drain near Kurla signal at Eastern Express Highway in Mumbai. The incident took place last night. The identity of the man is yet to be ascertained.

The locals in the area said that they had been facing problems because of the open drain since past few days.

One of the locals told ANI, "There are several uncovered manholes in the area. We had been complaining about this for a year."

The body has been shifted to the hospital for autopsy and probe has been initiated.

Maharashtra: Man died after falling in an uncovered manhole near Kurla signal at Eastern Express Highway last night. Identity of the man is yet to be ascertained. Locals say 'There are several uncovered manholes in the area. We had been complaining about this since a yr.' #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/Ak63VI2nNQ

— ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2018

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

It was a buzzing Sunday on Day 2 of the plastic ban for shops across the state - not in terms of business, but with respect to the flurry of activity from the relentless raids by the respective civic bodies and the fines slapped on establishments found in possession of banned items.

On Day 2 of the ban on single-use plastic, BMC fined 72 shops of the 867 inspected establishments. Also, inspection report was issued to five shops for not paying fine. Most of this happened in Chembur and surrounding areas.

Vendors cover their carts with plastic sheets

On Sunday's action, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (special) Nidhi Choudhary tweeted, "Squads visited 867 establishments so far Banned Plastic found at 72 shops IR given to 5 (for not paying fine) Total plastic seized 591.67 kg Best thing is less than 10% were found with products under #PlasticBan. Most have complied to #PlasticBan Kudos to Mumbaikars (sic)".

Others use it for veggies, ban notwithstanding

In Pune, locals seemed to have made peace with the ban, as no protests were reported. While small-scale businesses did use plastic on the sly for rangoli and cut vegetables, most citizens were seen carrying cloth bags for shopping.

Fish sellers abandon their thermocol boxes in Dadar after the plastic ban comes into effect. Pics/Ashish Raje

Sunday saw no civic action in Pune, leading to a few, mainly meat shops, using plastic bags. Deputy chief of PMC Suresh Jagtap said, "Today [Sunday] being a holiday, we didn't conduct any raid; but tomorrow, we will go full throttle. We've appealed to citizens to hand over plastic in their homes to the respective ward office."
Inputs by Chaitraly Deshmukh

At least five persons including a pedestrian were killed when a small chartered plane crashed in the thickly populated suburb of Ghatkopar in north-east Mumbai, officials said.

Eyewitnesses said the plane was seen hurtling down and crashed with a deafening roar before bursting into flames around 1.15 p.m. There were four people on board.

Rescue officials who rushed to the site said five bodies had been recovered from the crashed plane's wreckage. Out of five dead in chartered plane crash at under construction building in Ghatkopar charred bodies of 1 pilot, 1 female and 3 male have been recovered from the site. Some workers or pedestrians are also said to be dead, state BMC disaster cell.

A passerby in the vicinity of the crash was burnt fatally when some burning fuel from the aircraft fell on him, said an eyewitness who was among the first to reach the spot.

As per preliminary information, the aircraft was on a test flight and had taken off from the Juhu Airport minutes before it crashed.

The cause of the crash is not known. It occurred in an under construction building premises, averting what could have been a major disaster.

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With inputs from agencies

Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, 38
Filmmaker

Hyphenated identity is Ashwini Iyer Tiwari's pet peeve. "Why is a woman always someone's someone?" she rightly asks. Filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari and wife Ashwiny, as she's often referred to, for instance. Rather than Ashwiny, hit director of Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017), and the critically acclaimed Nil Battey Sannata (2016), sitting on a two-film deal with Ekta Kapoor's studio, whose next is a comedy-drama with Alia Bhatt.

This could also be because she and her husband, both former advertising professionals, burst into the mainstream movie-scene almost simultaneously — Nitesh (Chillar Party; 2011 and Bhootnath; 2008) picked up a best director Filmfare for India's biggest blockbuster, Dangal (2016) the same year that Ashwiny bagged the black lady as best debutant director for Nil Battey Sannata.

They're also working partners — he's a "quintessential writer," she has an "arts background"; it's a "team." That said, they go about filmmaking like surgeons: "You can discuss surgery forever. But you have to perform it on your own."

They first met at Ghetto, the legendary resto-bar at Mahalaxmi. This warms our hearts already. He was with Lowe. She worked with Leo Burnett, the agency she had joined right after her commercial-arts degree from Sophia Polytechnic, and where she remained for a decade — until turning 30! By then, most of the world's work-force is deep into a monthly addiction stronger than heroin — the phone's beep announcing the salary-deposit.

Instead, Ashwiny picked up "her savings, gratuity, provident fund" to go freelance, and write her first film. She couldn't afford this luxury earlier, as an only child, growing up in Mulund, with middle-class parents, both of them teachers (mother, a school principal; father, a professor in plant-pathology). "I once told them I wanted to be a painter. They said that's for 'business people' [to pursue]! [Job] security was paramount."

What changed her life? A 45-second promo on the girl-child for Kaun Banega Crorepati that she worked on for her client, Sony Television: "The film's tag-line was, 'Badhai ho, ladki hui hai'. It was extremely powerful. I thought if a promo can do this; imagine the impact a feature on the subject could have."

She wrote Nil Battey Sannata, about the mother-daughter relationship, having only recently turned mom (of twins: a boy and girl) herself. To test her skills as director, she attempted a short film, What's For Breakfast Mom, that picked up a National Award, no less. At Delhi airport, returning from Nil Battey's tiring shoot, she chanced upon Nicolas Barreau's novel The Ingredients Of Love, and simply couldn't put it down. That led to Bareilly Ki Barfi.

The secret to her back-to-back success though, is possibly her grounding in advertising: "It teaches you to balance the left and right brain, creativity and commerce — the client in films being the producer, who puts in the money."

Also she keeps safe distance from Bollywood's hustle to remain creatively sane: "Much before a hundred people join the process, and you reach millions, eventually filmmaking, to start with, is a lonesome exercise."

This explains her lovely bungalow in a leafy, quiet, gated colony, close to RK Studio in the central suburb, where Raj Kapoor cemented his career in the '50s, while the rest of the film industry grew north-westwards — almost kissing Ahmedabad now. Which isn't to say Ashwini doesn't encounter that quizzical look from filmies over where she lives: "Chembur?" Yup.

The Ghatkopar plane crash, which killed five, yesterday would have ended up becoming a mammoth disaster, considering it crashed in a densely populated residential area, had it not been for the pilot's presence of mind. Several residents from the area and eyewitnesses said the pilot did a good thing by ensuring the aircraft crashed at an under-construction site, avoiding the residential buildings in the vicinity.

Emergency response
The accident took place when the plane was about to land at Mumbai airport. The four onboard — pilot, co-pilot and maintenance engineers — and a passer-by on whom the wreckage fell have been identified as the deceased. Immediately after the incident, the fire brigade and police reached the spot, and within minutes pictures and videos of the crashed plane and a charred body near the crash site went viral on social media.

Afternoon happenings
mid-day spoke to residents from the area to find out what exactly happened, and most said it all started in the afternoon when they heard a deafening explosion, followed by thick smoke and a tree on fire. Locals said the situation would have been worse had the aircraft crashed on a residential building or the busy LBS Marg, which is adjacent, or the Versova-Andheri Ghatokpar Metro corridor, which, too, is just a few hundred metres away.

A paan shop owner from the area said, "I was sitting in my shop when I heard a loud noise. At first I thought a tyre of some truck busted, but then, a person from the MTNL lane came running to my shop and said a plane had crashed. "We should all be thankful to the pilot, as by crashing it at an under-construction site, he saved hundreds of lives."

Also Read: Mumbai: Chartered plane crashes in Ghatkopar; five killed

The eight-seater charter King C90 was on its first airworthiness test profile when it suddenly developed a major technical snag and crashed at an under-construction building in Ghatkopar West on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft was owned by the UP government and after it was involved in an accident some time ago, it was bought by UY Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, a three-year-old company, which rents out aircraft to ferry patients from all over the country, an insider told mid-day. The company had got the King C90 repaired by Indamer Aviation Private Ltd and, on Thursday, it was being taken on its first test flight.

"Around 1.08 pm, the ATC towers at Mumbai and Juhu both lost contact with the pilot and suddenly an SOS alert was sent out by the Air Traffic Control. Finally, it was learnt that the plane had crashed," said Juhu Aerodrome Director Ashok Kumar Verma. Verma said the aircraft took off from the Juhu runway a little after 12.20 pm as per ATC Juhu records. Pilot, Captain Pradeep Rajput, and co-pilot, Maria Zuberi (who had joined UY Aviation barely a month ago), were in constant touch with the Juhu ATC and later with the Mumbai main ATC as it passed through their radar. The charter was barely a mile from Juhu aerodrome, on its way back after completing the test flight, when it crashed. When asked if the aircraft was on a wrong flying line, as usually passenger flights pass through the airway used by the charter, Verma replied in the negative, stating that there was no air space violation and that the charter was on its own scheduled air space."

The investigating team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will be recording the statements of the ATC officers who were in dialogue with the pilots of the charter, which will be compared with the black box that has been recovered. Speaking to mid-day soon after landing in Mumbai from Delhi on Thursday evening, Captain Vinod MRSK, a former air force pilot, who is the Chief of Flight Safety at UY Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, clarified that the charter was still with Indamer Aviation Private Ltd (an aviation repair and maintenance organisation), and two of their engineers Manish Pandey and Surbhi, along with Rajput and Zuberi were to conduct the airworthiness test profile and had obtained necessary permissions from DGCA.

"The air profile testing was crucial as only then could UY Aviation have approached DGCA to complete other formalities to officially take the charter into its inventory. The charter was flying on a Non-Scheduled Operator's Permit (NSOP) for testing. At present UY Aviation has four charters, two in Mumbai and two in Delhi, and this eight-seater King C90, would have made it to its inventory in Mumbai," the insider said. Captain Vinod said, "I am here to assist Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team under DGCA to understand the circumstances under which the accident happened. It is learnt that the crew was insured."

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Pilot's presence of mind saves hundreds

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Captain Maria Zuberi was at the controls along with Captain P S Rajput, the pilot, with an engineer, identified as Surbhi, and a technician, identified as Manish, onboard when the chartered plane crashed.

One of the deceased brought into Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar

When mid-day reached Zuberi's home in Mira Road, there was no one at home and the area wore a sombre look. Ivy Sarkar, a neighbour, said, "I can't believe she is no more. She was a wonderful woman, always ready with a helping hand. She had thrown a party at her home recently after her 17-year-old daughter cleared her HSC exams with excellent marks. "I am incredibly proud of her for using her presence of mind and manoeuvering the plane away from residential buildings, saving so many lives. I salute her."

The bungalow in Mira Road where Maria Zuberi staye

Zuberi stayed with her husband Prabhat Kasturia and daughter Charvi. Kasturia had messaged her around 1 pm for her whereabouts, but got no reply. Then he saw the crash on TV. He told the media, "My wife, along with Rajput, had earlier informed the company that the weather was not right for flying. The company insisted on the test flight." 

Her domestic help, Aarti Waghmare. Pics/Atul Kamble, Hanif Patel

The domestic help who worked at Zuberi's home, Aarti Waghmare, said, "I have been working there for three months now. Her husband is an advocate, who is in Delhi most of the time. She always addressed and spoke to me like a friend, never made me feel like a servant. I am unable to come to terms with the fact that she is no more. I keep thinking she will be back home in some time."

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Pilot's presence of mind saves hundreds

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It was a case of so near and yet not near enough for people at the disaster venue, a day after a plane crash shook the eastern suburb of Ghatkopar. An MTNL building at the mouth of this lane gives it its name — MTNL Galli. But now it has been temporarily rechristened as the 'plane crash galli' by the stream of curious visitors that poured in last afternoon.

A cop at the now-barricaded scene good-naturedly asked people to "get into a line and I will allow you to peek through the barricades. Only one minute per person," he grinned. Overhead, planes seemed to skim the buildings. "One day after the crash, every plane we see sends a jolt of fear through us," said someone, as Kalyan resident Jitendra Jaiswal, who works in Ghatkopar, made his way to the crash site. Jaiswal explained, "I keep coming back here, wondering how this could happen. There is still a sense of disbelief." Shakhawat Khan and Dinesh Yadav, both drivers (the latter drives a rickshaw), said, "The sound keeps echoing in our ears. We were eating snacks at a nearby restaurant and heard at least two-three blasts. The sound literally blew us off our chairs."

Policemen keep curious crowds at bay at the crash site. Pic/Sameer Markande

Thank God
A resident ambled to the site to see the progress of the clean-up. "I was in the car with my son at the wheel when we heard at least three blasts. Shaken, my son parked the car a few metres from this site. Everything was covered in black smoke. The smell of that smoke still lingers in my nostrils. No disrespect to the dead, but I cannot stop thanking God for sparing me," finished Pravin Shah.

Wing clip
Conversations in Gujarati dominated as one walked down the lane. Ankita Shah who lives nearby said, "I will never forget the thick, black smoke rising into the sky. It's my most enduring memory of this disaster." A number of people who claimed they witnessed the crash, insisted they saw the wing of the plane clip the pedestrian who died. A woman said dramatically, while others concurred, "one second the wing had clipped him and the next a charred body lay on the ground. It was the man," she stressed, while others agreed that they too saw a "wing clip the man. It was a wing," they shouted as some onlookers snorted in disbelief. Through the drama, an idli seller arrived putting down his wares and joining the queue to peer through the barricades. People shouted "idli, idli" while the cops shooed him off.

Mother-daughter duo of Naina (right) and Tanisha Gala point to an aircraft above them. Pics/Sameer Markande

Terrifying images
Naina Gala, MTNL lane resident, said, "I witnessed the blast and last night, the terrifying images — burnt bodies, fire, smoke and the wreckage came back to haunt me." Her daughter Tanisha said there were tons of questions from her classmates. Naina added, "I feel the pain of the pilots, the crew. They knew they were going to die, they sacrificed their lives to save all of us." Naina and Tanisha said the fire brigade, police and everyone was at the site within minutes. A local informed this reporter, "The birds in the sky were faster though. There were a huge number circling the crash site within minutes. They had smelt death in the air…" Yet another gent walked down the lane wearing a T-shirt with the prophetic lines: 'Your life is your story. Write well. Edit often'. As one exited the lane, one could not help thinking, this must rate as a very surprising twist in Ghatkopar's story.

5
No. of people dead in the plane crash

Pravin Shah (left) tells his story

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Doctors to use teeth to ID victims

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There's no doubt that the fifth victim of the Ghatkopar plane crash, architect Govind Dubey, 32, was in the place at the wrong time. But his family is not willing to accept mere bad luck as explanation for his death — they want to know whom to blame. After the family embarked on a sit-in at Rajawadi hospital, refusing to take Govind's body, MLA Jitendra Awhad assured them of compensation and investigation in the matter. With these assurances, the Dubeys finally claimed the body last evening.

Govind was merely passing by when the plane came hurtling down on him. He died on the spot with 100 per cent burns. Due to the extent of his injuries, he was identified only yesterday with the help of his half-burnt wallet. The last location update on his phone also confirms that he was at the spot. The architect hailed from Uttar Pradesh, from where his family has come to collect his body. To his brother's surprise, though, not a single government official has contacted them to assure compensation or action against the culprits.

Arvind Dubey, Govind's brother

“It has been over 24 hours since I lost my brother in the incident. It was my brother's bad luck that he at the spot when it happened. But isn't it the responsibility of the government to come forward to give us justice?” said Arvind Dubey, Govind's brother. He added, “We have decided to file a police complaint against the aircraft company for the accident. The government must conduct an inquiry and imprison the person at fault.”

MLAspeak
“The victim comes from an economically weaker section. Hence, I have requested Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to consider his case for compensation,” MLA Awhad told mid-day.

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Aircraft was 10 miles away when it went off radar

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The last recorded conversation between ATC Mumbai and the King C90 pilots that crashed in Ghatkopar on Thursday was 'We are breaking off, we will report to Juhu ATC'. The air space where the call was recorded was the spot for an official switchover from ATC Mumbai to ATC Juhu. ATC Juhu then tried to reach out to the pilots and when there was no reply, they waited for some time before alerting ATC Mumbai, who found the plane had gone off their radar. They quickly alerted all agencies concerned. Highly-placed officials attached to the ATC Juhu said, "The last conversation was recorded when the aircraft was in the air approximate 10 miles [16km] away from Juhu Aerodrome and almost preparing for landing. Therefore, as routine practice, from Mumbai ATC, the pilot was being switched over to Juhu ATC at the technical point [where the accident happened]."

Juhu Aerodrome Director Ashok Kumar Verma confirmed the same and said, "The charter plane took off as per the schedule and was in the air for nearly 47 minutes. It covered the air test route flying from Juhu airport and headed towards Surat airspace and after successfully completing the circuit was returning to Juhu aerodrome when it met with the accident."

The wreckage at the crash site. Pic/Sameer Markande

When asked if visibility was an issue at the time of take-off from Juhu Aerodrome, Verma replied in the negative, stating, "Visibility was over 2,000 feet. We have allowed charters and helicopters to take off and land even at a visibility of 1,000 feet."
When asked if the DGCA had issued any fresh guidelines post the accident on Thursday, the official replied in the negative.
Meanwhile, Captain MRSK Vinod, a former Indian Air force pilot, who is the Chief of Flight Safety at UY Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, arrived in Mumbai on Thursday night and visited the crash site at Ghatkopar along with two members from the Aviation Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). They inspected the site and collected some material for investigation purposes.

Technical snag to blame?
Captain Vinod said, "We have got the required evidence, and whatever was collected by the police and other rescue teams, including the black box, has already been handed over to the AAIB team. We have also taken photographs, videographs and have also recorded statements of witnesses." Aviation experts have hinted that the aircraft may have developed a sudden technical snag in its engine or as the plane was in Instrument Landing System (ILS) mode, which allows the aircraft to continue operations in low visibility, it might have developed an issue, due to which the pilot may have lost direction or both, which could have led to the accident. Charter planes fly at a height of 4,000 to 5,000 feet and there is no parachute on board for any emergency. Captain Vinod preferred not to comment on the reason for the accident, saying investigation was underway.

Were pilots reluctant to fly?
On the allegation by family members of the deceased pilots that they were reluctant to fly the plane because of poor visibility, Captain Vinod said, "We are professionals and must understand that a DGCA-Approved Maintenance Organisation has cleared the plane for testing, which is why the pilots agreed to fly. If they had refused, the testing would immediately have been aborted as per procedure." An officer at Ghatkopar police station said, "We have cordoned off the area. As far as investigations are concerned, we are only completing the paper work by recording statements and ensuring that the right claimant gets the body for the last rituals. We have no role in the investigation."

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Lunch turns into a lucky hunch for other labourers on site

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It was the dead of night, but when Suraj Gavai, 28, heard his dog growling and whining outside the house, he couldn't resist checking on his pet. But when he opened the door, he found an entirely different animal staring at him — a leopard. The big cat sprang at Suraj and gouged his eye.

Suraj was rushed to hospital, where his condition is stable. Experts are calling the incident an 'accidental attack', as the leopard likely pounced out of fright. A camera trap was put up in the area and patrolling was boosted following the incident.

Suraj was found in a pool of blood by his mother, Baby. Pics/Datta Kumbhar

The incident took place at 2 am on Sunday, when the Gavai family was fast asleep in their room at Mulund's Rahul Nagar slum pocket. The area falls under the Tulsi Range of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), which is home to several leopards.

The spot outside the house where the dog was chained

Blood everywhere
Suraj woke up when he heard his Rottweiler yapping desperately outside the house, where it had been chained. Second after he opened the door to check on the dog, the leopard swiped at his face at him. His parents woke up to see him in pain and blood. They instantly raised the alarm and called Suraj's elder brother Jayesh, who lives nearby. "My wife and I quickly rushed there to see the doorsteps covered with blood. Suraj was in pain. We rushed him to the local hospital. While we are praying for his quick recovery, we are also frightened since the incident," said Jayesh.

Suraj was moved to KEM hospital due to the serious nature of his injuries. Having undergone a surgery on his right eye at the Parel hospital late on Sunday morning, he is currently under observation. The dog suffered a minor injury too, and was taken to a local vet hospital, where his condition is said to be stable.

Hospital report
"The patient was evaluated by ophthalmology, general surgery and plastic surgery departments. He has contused lacerated wounds (CLW) over the right lower eyelid and scalp. The plastic surgeon sutured the CLW in the plastic operation theatre; the wound was sutured too. In the wake of the patient feeling giddy after taking scalp sutures, we have admitted him. His condition is currently stable," said Dr Avinash Supe, dean, KEM hospital.

High leopard activity
Wildlife and human-leopard conflict experts told mid-day that a combination of factors contributed to Sunday's incident. Krishna Tiwari, founder of the Forest and Wildlife Conservation Society (FWCS), said that the area, with its proximity to SGNP, is prone to leopard activity.

"The area is often unkempt and leopards in search for food are frequent visitors. Upon hearing the dog bark, the man should not have opened the door to begin with," Tiwari added.

Nikit Surve, a leopard researcher from Mumbai said, "The leopard and the man caught each other by surprise. In distress and panic, the leopard attacked the man."

Pawan Sharma, honorary wildlife warden with the Forest Department, said, "Just last week, locals had reported a leopard sighting in the area. Citizens need to be vigilant and abide by the dos and don'ts listed by the authorities.

He added that following Sunday's incident, camera traps were installed in the area to track leopard movements. Patrolling is also going to be increased. Despite repeated attempts to contact Jitendra Ramgaonkar, deputy conservator of forest, he remained unavailable for comment.

Also Read: Mumbai: Forest department trains people from Thane society to deal with leopards

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A 54-year-old man on Monday attempted to commit suicide at Mumbai's Kurla railway station. The incident took place at around 1:30 pm when the man suddenly jumped off and lied on the railway track. 

The man was saved by Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and other co-passengers.

The man said that he was fed up with family issues and which is why he tried to commit suicide. Later on, the man was handed over to his family after police verification.

Watch Video here

#WATCH: A man was saved by Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel & other passengers after he attempted to commit suicide at #Mumbai's Kurla railway station. (30.07.2018) (Source: CCTV) pic.twitter.com/6Yz5WB2Tsw

— ANI (@ANI) July 30, 2018

Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from ANI

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

With eight murders in seven months, 10 attempt to murder cases and hundreds of incidents of assault, gangland has taken over Bhandup. Fed up with Bhandup police's inefficiency, the top brass shunted out Senior Police Inspector Shrinivas Panhale to the Local Arms division on Tuesday. Ramesh Khade has been posted as the new senior Inspector of the police station.

A week ago, Bhandup was rocked by the brutal murder of 17-year-old Sushil Verma. The Std XII student was killed by a group of teens right outside his college in broad daylight on July 26. While the cops arrested three suspects, the murder sparked a debate about inefficient policing.

Senior Police Inspector Shrinivas Panhale 

"We consistently told the cops about the situation turning from bad to worst in Bhandup, but they didn't pay any attention. This resulted in the murder of a 17-year-old, which could have avoided by increasing patrolling," said Ramesh Khanvilkar, Director of RK BEd College, Bhandup. "Due to the police's lethargy, addiction among youngsters in on the rise," he added.

A public meeting was organised on August 2 to discuss the rising crime. Politicians across parties urged the police to take action against Matka rackets active in Bhandup. Residents urged that rigorous policing is key to reducing the crime rate. Sanjay Dina Patil, ex-MP from the NCP, said, "Bhandup is becoming a den for drug peddlers; the police must act to prevent any future incidents."

More money and 'bhais'
The new senior PI now faces the challenge of cleaning up crime in the growing suburb. There are 15 lakh residents in this jurisdiction, a majority of whom live in illegal hutments. Two year ago, the police had started a special drive against gangsters, and found three gunny bags of swords in the forest on the hillside.

A policeman who had earlier served as a senior police at the Bhandup police station, said, "In Bhandup, there is a lot of SRA work, which has brought money to the area. This has become a catalyst for youngsters to turn gangsters. Increasing hutments on the hills makes it more difficult for cops to enter as well." "In such a situation, the police have to physically start patrolling the area, which will curb crime to some extent, and reduce the flow of narcotics — mainly ganja — in the pipeline area," the officer added.

Since last year…
Shrinivas Panhale had taken charge of the Bhandup police station on May 20, 2017, but couldn't manage to curb crime or drug flow. According to police statistics, last year, till August, not a single murder had been reported, while three cases of attempt to murder were filed. But this year, eight murders and 10 attempts to murder have been registered in the same period.

Murder central
July 26: Sushil Verma was killed by teen over an affair with a girl.
May 3: Birbal Gupta killed his wife Neha in front of their kids after an altercation over attending a wedding
April 24: Ganesh Padekar, 45, murdered a 30-year-old who had thrown garbage on him
March 25: Naresh Shetty, 27, out on bail, was murdered over a love affair
March 24: A 17-year-old stabbed Ramji Rajbhar, 27, when he objected to the minor blowing cigarette smoke on him
March 18: A vegetable vendor and his two sons were killed after a fight or where to set up their stall

Also Read: Sacked cop posed as policeman to extort money from couples at Aksa

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Earlier this year, while performing at a military training centre in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, singer Ameya Dabli recalls receiving a disturbing piece of news from the army chief Lt Ranbir Singh. Four terror attacks had taken place at a nearby hillock on the same day. The hill, as he soon learnt, was located less than a kilometre away from the centre.

"The chief said to me, 'Don't worry. We will protect you'. This one reassuring line was enough to allay our fears in that high tension zone," he says. Dabli and his team of musicians went on to deliver a power-packed two-hour performance regaling the audience with musical compositions of poems penned by Kabirdas, Guru Nanak, Amir Khusro and Tulsidas. "We didn't realise how those two hours flew by. You see, that's the power of music," he says. Since then, Dabli has performed at several other conflict regions of the country, including eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir, and four in the Northeast.

Singing for peace
It was three years ago that Dabli, a Bhandup resident, conceptualised Ekam Satt, which are essentially pro bono concerts curated for the Indian Armed Forces and civilians, in order to not just motivate jawans, but also bring peace. Born in a family of music lovers - his mother Anuradha Dabli is a trained classical and light music exponent - the 38-year-old was inducted into singing from the age of seven. "But, the idea to use music as a peace building tool was something that took shape during my last stint as the marketing head of Ronny and Zarina Screvwala's Swades Foundation. Here, I got the opportunity to interact with a lot of non-profits," he says.

Dabli, who holds a robust 15 years of corporate experience as marketing head with the Tata Group, HSBC and Citibank, now straddles a music career along with a venture where he mentors start-ups and NGOs to start their businesses. Till date, he has performed over 1,500 concerts across 15 countries. "Initially, it took us a good six months to curate the songs for Ekam Satt, because we wanted it to be a good blend of sufi, folk and contemporary music. We even got RS Mani, the music arranger of Veer Zaara to help us. But now, it's seamless," he says.

While Dable's pieces comprise the works of legendary poets such as Mirabai, Narsinh Mehta, Khwaja Garib Nawab and Tukaram, the songs are infused with peppy global music styles like hip hop, reggae and opera to make it livelier. "When we approached the Army headquarters in New Delhi with the concept, they loved it and immediately asked us to come on board," he says.

On the shaadi front
Interestingly, Dabli is also a sought-after name when it comes to weddings and sangeet and has performed at the glitzy wedding of Sasha Rawal - sister of Bollywood's leading fashion designer Kunal Rawal - and Samarth Bajaj, and very recently, the engagement of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal. He has also organised gigs for Kumar Mangalam Birla, David and Lali Dhawan, Aditya Birla and Adi Godrej. "It's not the typical shaadi scene. My forte is the pheras, something that most people don't pay much attention to," he laughs. "I perform something called the signature wedding chants, where I don't just recite mantras, but also provide explanation of the vidhis or rituals," adds Dabli, who perfected his Sanskrit under the tutelage of his father, Professor PV Dabli, a scholar in the language.

Dabli says juggling his entrepreneurial venture with his musical endeavours does test his ability to multi-task. "Sometimes, I don't know which one to focus on more. But that's what happens when you love whatever you do equally," he smiles.

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The civic body just can't seem to get its mid-day meals right. It turned out to be a poisonous Thursday at Bhandup's Sahyadri Vidyamandir, after 16 students and a teacher landed in hospital with complaints of stomach ache and vomiting on eating the dal rice served in the school yesterday. While all are stable now, it has once again raised serious concerns over the meal scheme.

The trigger
Though Sumit Dongarkar's mum packs a tiffin for him every day, he looks forward to the brunch served in school, and Thursday was no different, said his mother Sonali, as he loves dal rice.

The 13-year-old and his friends ate the meal with relish during the recess at 9.50 am, but shortly after, trouble started. At first, a Std VII student began vomiting, but soon, more complained of stomach ache and nausea. After other students began throwing up, the school authorities rushed 16 of them, and a teacher, Vidya Lad, who'd tasted the food as per protocol, to Mulund Agarwal Hospital. Sonali Dongarkar said, "Sumit is doing fine now and is under observation."

Who's responsible?
School authorities said that for the last one and a half year, around 700 students have been eating the meals prepared by Lingeshwar Mahila Bachat Gat. Parents told mid-day that VII-C is the first to receive the food every day, and while 16 from the class of 40 took ill, others remained unaffected. "Everybody is stable now. But this has shaken the kids and our trust. Who will take the responsibility for it?" asked Aruna Poojari, a parent.

Another, Aditi Naik, said, "My son, Krish, had a nasal tube attached for a while. He is okay now, but I am going to tell him not to have the meal again." Several parents complained of being kept in the dark about the incident. "The school finishes at 12.30 am. When I went to receive my daughter, she never came out. Then, a friend of hers told me what had happened. I felt dizzy on finding out, but I rushed to the hospital," said Lalita Shinde.

Hospital dean Dr Usha Mohprekar said, "All are stable now. We have moved them to the general ward for observation. Prima facie, it looks like food poisoning. An inquiry will be conducted."

Sampling the fare
Principal Narsingh Mane told mid-day, "The staff were prompt in giving required care to the sick children, all from one division. The food had come from Lingeshwar Mahila Bachat Gat, which has been providing it to us for a while now. So, we are not sure what went wrong. Samples of the food have been submitted to authorities for testing."

BMC education officer Mahesh Palkar said, "We have collected raw as well as cooked food samples from the kitchen of the organisation. The kitchen looked neat and tidy; nonetheless, experts will test the samples to end the inquiry conclusively. Until the investigation report is out, we have ordered the organisation to not supply food; its contract with the civic body will be subject to the probe report.

"The organisation provides mid-day meals to 25 other schools in the vicinity. So, while the investigation is on, all these schools will have to make alternative arrangements."

Also read: 25 students fall ill after consuming mid-day meal at Delhi school, hospitalised

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Ghatkopar has some great food destinations for vegetarian patrons. So when Vedge XPRS, a new Quick-Service-Restaurant (QSR) opened its shutters at Ghatkopar's R-City Mall, we decided to check it out.

The Vedge XPRS offered a vast menu comprising the best of vegan food, including options for Jain guests.

Vedge XPRS serves some delicious quick bites ranging from soups, street food, pizzas, combos, shakes and much more

Humble beginnings…
We tucked ourselves into one corner of the food court and ordered some fries and signature nachos on the recommendation of manager Prathamesh. The Fully Loaded Nachos (Rs 265), their signature dish was crunchy with a generous amount of cheese topping, which made the dish a delight, especially for a nachos fan. The animal style fries (Rs 199) came next with five types of toppings - Peri Peri, Sriracha Mayo, Orange Garlic to name a few. Spoilt for choice, we opted for Jalapeño cheese. The potato fries were fried until lightly golden to make them crispy and topped with finely chopped Jalapenos.

Off coolers and pizzas
Next up, we tried our hands at Con Le Verdure Arrosto (Rs 285), a thin crust pizza. The piping hot 9-inch thin crust pizza was laden with loads of veggies and cheese. With every bite, the pizza just got crunchier and tastier. We surely recommend this one! The chilled coolers we ordered to compliment the pizzas arrived on our table. The Raw Mango (Rs 105) cooler was a soothing experience after our tryst with the fiery fries and nachos, while the Peach Ice Tea (Rs 185) was a refreshing twist. 

Choose from different combos on offer or opt for some authentic Indian street food, Chinese dumplings, and more to satiate one's hunger pangs

Dealing ‘In’ combos and pasta's
It was time for the main course and we opted for a Soup Noodle Combo (Rs 510) that consisted of Man chow soup and wok tossed noodles cooked in burnt chilli basil sauce. The generous portion good enough for two average eaters was served piping hot. We mopped up the dish quickly and went for a Penne Pasta (Rs 255) in a pink sauce. Along with the pink sauce twist, the outlet also offers two other funky options in pasta, cooked in white and red sauce.

We were put away by the colour of the dish and the taste of the pasta also did not meet up to our expectations. We would not recommend this variation of the Italian pasta.

Shaking with ‘Shakes’
We finished our meal on a 'sweet' note by going for their signature shake, the Chocolate Hazelnut (Rs 190) and an Oreo Cookies (Rs 185) shake from their ‘Shake It Up - Shakes’ section of the menu. 

You can even choose to have some chilled coolers and shakes as you shop till you drop at R City Mall in Ghatkopar (W)

Our view
The restaurant offers mouth-watering quick bites at affordable prices with a variety of choices ranging from soups, street food, pizzas, combos, shakes and other popular food items. If you are a foodie and love delicious vegetarian cuisines, then Vedge Xprs is a fabulous place to be.

Where: 3rd Floor, Food Court, R City Mall, LBS Marg, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai
Meal for two: Rs 600 to Rs 1,000
Alcohol served: No
Contact: 022 25175500

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Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday said the controversy surrounding his party colleague Ram Kadam's remarks against women should end as the latter has apologised. Patil also advised public representatives saying they need to exercise caution while speaking. "Ram Kadam has apologised and the issue should now end. Kadam does not have a history of speaking ill about women. On the contrary, he is known for helping women immensely. Thousands of women in his constituency tie him rakhi every year," Patil told a Marathi news channel.

"Public representatives should be extremely cautious while speaking and they should properly frame every sentence in their heads before uttering them," the minister added. He said new channels should also try to show the true meaning of what has been spoken. "But if what the channels are saying about the remarks is right, the public representative should apologise.
In this case, Ram Kadam was not arrogant and he apologised...So the matter should come to an end," Patil said. Kadam, while speaking at an event during dahi handi celebrations in the city, had said hewould "kidnap" a girl a boy likeseven if she says no to the proposal. "You (youngsters) can meet me for any work," he is seen in the video clip, telling the crowd, mainly comprising youth.

Kadam was heard saying that he got requests from youngsters to help them after girls rejected their proposals. "I will help, 100 per cent. Come (to me) with your parents. What will I do if parents approve (the girl a boy has liked)? I will kidnap the girl concerned and hand her over to you (for marriage)," he was heard telling the crowd.

Kadam was also heard sharing his mobile number with the crowd. His remarks created a huge controversy as it drew sharp reactions from the opposition parties, Shiv Sena and women's organisations. The Maharashtra State Commission for Women issued a notice to Kadam over his remark.

In a video message issued Wednesday, Kadam expressed regret over his remarks saying, "I have very high regard for women. Without giving any explanation about the video clip (of his controversial remarks), I express my regret." He also tweeted saying, "By doctoring my statements, my political rivals created an atmosphere which has hurt the sentiments of our mothers and sisters. I have already expressed regret over my comments and (I am) once again tendering an apology to all my mothers and sisters."

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In a shocking incident that took place in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai, a 59-year-old man was beaten to death after a fight broke out for using a public toilet for a little longer. The elderly man was killed in a spat over using the public for a longer time. The incident took place on Wednesday night.

As reported in Mumbai Mirror, the incident took place on September 19, in the Sangam Nagar area located in Wadala East. The accused was identified as Shakir Ali Shaikh (34) who had an argument with Yadav when he used the public toilet for a little longer. When the locals intervened and prevented the altercation the two left the argument and left from there. Later, when Yadav was walking back home, Shaikh attacked him and hit him until Yadav fell into a nullah. 

After the local residents took notice of the fact that Yadav had fallen into the nullah, they rushed to his aid and immediately took him to the nearest hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. The Wadala TT police have arrested the accused and have registered a case.

A police officer from Wadala police station was quoted saying, "Yadav worked with a transport company and offered driving lessons. We have registered a case and arrested the accused."

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A 15-year-old girl's dead body was found at a chawl near Samaj Mandir hall at Antop Hill on Monday. According to police sources, they received a call informing about a suicide after which they immediately sent a team with forensics experts at the banquet hall where they found her hanging from a ceiling fan.

An officer said, "We have sent her body to Sion hospital for post-mortem. As of now, we have registered a case of accidental death (ADR). We have not noticed anything suspicious as of now. The post-mortem report will give a clear picture.

Further investigations are on.

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It's a busy morning inside the sprawling open kitchen at Chembur's Pot Pourri with blogger-author Saee Koranne-Khandekar helming the activity with help from executive chef Vinod Garde. In the last 10 days she has been pretty much relegated to this section of the 175-seater space. The only time we see her stepping out is to answer a phone call or greet a guest. The reason is a new culinary experiment that will see the restaurant, known for dabbling in global cuisine, present a new face of Maharashtrian food. One that you might not identify by its appearance — we did not — but certainly by taste.

Chicken Bhujing is a street dish available inVirar. Bhujing, derived from the Marathi word, bhujne, is a process of roasting chicken with potatoes on charcoal and then mixing it with nylon poha and masalas

Creating a new avatar
Starting today, Pot Pourri will roll out a new menu curated by Khandekar that will be available only till October 24. The objective is to showcase how traditional Maharashtrian recipes can be tweaked and made palatable to an evolving audience, who might otherwise gawk at the idea of eating faraali misal or varan phala at a gourmet restaurant. Having said that, Khandekar is clear that food won't carry any 'deconstructivist' baggage. Portion sizes are hearty, and there are no foam, vapours and gasses to accompany it.

Pathare Prabhu pot pie with tomato saar

"I had to mainly work on the way I approached certain traditional dishes," says Khandekar, who in 2016, authored Crumbs! Bread Stories and Recipes for the Indian Kitchen, that offered more than 40 recipes of Indian and international breads. She adds, "For instance, if I said thalipeeth with koshimbir, people who are not familiar with the cuisine, might say, 'Oh, this is just too experimental for me'. They might find it intimidating and rustic, and not want to eat it at all." In order to give the spiced Maharashtrian pancake a makeover, Khandekar has created thalipeeth tostadas, topped with a creamy guava-based yoghurt salad. The dish, prepared using bhajanee (flour made from roasted grains, legumes and spices), has been fashioned to look like the Mexican tortilla with guacamole. If you have tasted the Maharashtrian snack, a powerhouse of nutrition, the taste will hit home. It's the yoghurt that helps balance the spiciness of the pancake, making it a sumptuous bar snack.

Faraali misal is eaten while fasting. Here's it's served with a peanut dip

Khandekar believes that although, thalipeeth has for centuries been a 'multigrain' offering, the idea of bringing into the mainstream never took off due to its seemingly regional strappings. "Somewhere, in the name of 'evolution', we have drifted away from what's intrinsic to the culture. Our cuisine which was earlier very millet and rice-heavy has now moved to being wheat heavy. Seasonal items like gourds barely make an appearance," she adds.

Modak icecrean with crispy vermicelli; Baked coconut fudge karanji with vanilla icecream

Getting global recognition
For any regional cuisine to reach the pedestal of a fine dine, it needs to go through a rite of passage, believes Rajendra Agnihotri, executive chef, at White Charcoal Fine Dine, Empressa Hotel, Andheri. "In terms of food, the key lies in the attention to detail when it comes to ingredients and methods of preparation. The ingredients need to be sourced from where it originates and the chefs need to be local who have specialised in the cuisine; it has to be authentic to the T. If you're making the classic kombdi rassa, you would need gavthi chicken. The one purchased from a supermarket won't have the same taste," he says. When it comes to Maharashtrian cuisine, it's the diversity that makes it complex. In fact, the vegetable Kolhapuri that you might have seen on almost every Indian restaurant's menu doesn't exist in the region, adds Khandekar.

Saee Koranne-Khandekar with chef Vinod Garde. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

"There is nothing called as Veg Kolhapuri. If you go to Kolhapur, there are so many different masalas. There's no one-size-fits all masala." Akshay Deshpande, Sous Chef (Indian specialty), Conrad Pune, who grew up eating Maharashtrian food at home, admits that he's seen little of the food on the fine dine space. "It has been over eight years that I have taken up regional cooking professionally, but I admit that the cuisine in its entirety is an extremely unexplored cuisine. I think it's because it's extremely rustic and there's no standardisation so to speak," he says.

The cuisine from Vidharbha, the north-eastern region of Maharashtra, known for its extreme climates, is famous for its extremely spicy flavours, while Konkan is more mellow given all the coconut and kokum that goes into it. According to Khanderkar, who has extensively researched traditional Maharastrian cuisine, what has made winners out of misal pav and puranpoli, are the people who migrated from Western Maharashtra, introducing it to Mumbai through khanavals. "They made a business out of it and that's why it is what it is," she says. But those dishes that did not transition to the mainland, are yet to enjoy their moment in the sun.

Back to basics
The 'unsophisticated' appearance makes it a tricky business. She, for one, had to battle one critic in her own home. "My husband was of the opinion that Maharashtrian food is not visually appetising," she says. But chefs are now channelling their energies into presentation. The modernist element is consistent throughout Khandekar's menu. Take the Pathare Prabhu Pot Pie with tomato saar, served in a shot glass. The latter is a spicy tomato soup made with curry leaves and chillies. It's eaten with rice in parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Here, the dish is a take on the shepherd pie. The taste is unmistakably Pathare Prabhu, courtesy the signature fragrant garam masala which gets its edge from the fennel seeds that are ground along with Bengal gram, fenugreek, whole wheat and black peppercorn. All ingredients, we are told, have been sourced locally.

Agnihotri feels the local and regional cuisines are slowly making their way into the mainstream. And, it's a lot to do with the growing realisation of the food miles concept, which is a way of expressing just how far the food we eat travels from the farm where it is first produced, before it ends up on our tables. Although the expression was first coined back in the 1990s, it has entered public consciousness given the awareness of carbon footprint and environmental degradation. "You want to tap into indigenous resources. It's to do with chefs who are going back to roots. There's a return to basics," he says.

The winners

• Chicken Bhujing, a signature street dish popular in the confines of Virar and Vasai. Those living outside the parameters may have no clue. The chicken is roasted along with potatoes and then fried and steamed with onion. It's then mixed with nylon poha and a special masala mix
• Orange kharvas with dink crumb and kaakvi is a colostrum pudding served with fried edible gum, fresh orange and sugarcane molasses
• Varan Phala Ravioli is their take on the Maharashtrian pasta. It is made with whole wheat and stuffed with coriander and goda masala in a tuar dal sauce

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Two labourers were killed on Friday after falling from the eighth floor of an under-construction building here, a disaster control official said. The incident occurred when they were fitting window panes of the Shabari Park building, coming up opposite the RK Studios in Govandi suburb.

Suddenly they lost their balance and fell nearly 80 feet below, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said.

Other workers rushed them to the Shatabdi Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

It is not clear if they were wearing safety belts or whether a safety net was installed below to prevent such accidents.

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By holding on to a tree branch, one-year-old Atharva Barkade survived what could have easily been a fatal fall. Atharva fell from the balcony of his fourth-floor home in Deonar on Thursday morning, after curiously crawling to the edge of it. Luckily, he escaped with a few bruises. Preliminary tests have not indicated any injuries, but he has been admitted in the ICU as a precautionary measure.

The Barkades reside on the fourth floor of Jay Gopi Krishna CHS at Deonar. Around 8:45 am on Thursday, Ajit, Atharva's father, was getting ready to go to work. At the other end of the house, Atharva's grandmother was going to the balcony attached to the living room to put out clothes to dry. Atharva crawled behind her and out of the balcony.

Crawling and falling
Just then, Ajit entered the living room and saw Atharva crawling out of the balcony and yelled when he saw his baby fall from it. "I was cooking when I heard Ajit shouting. All the family members rushed to the living room and he just kept pointing to the balcony," said Anjali, Atharva's aunt. "We all rushed to the ground floor and to our surprise, found Atharva crying and trying to stand up," added Anjali.

The fourth floor balcony from where Atharva fell. Pic/Rajesh Gupta

Ajit and Mangal, Atharva's parents, checked his body for injuries. They were able to only find bruises on his back. But they decided to go for a more professional assessment. "Without giving it a second thought, we rushed to the main road looking for an autorickshaw and took him to a private hospital in Chembur, where we were told that they don't have the facilities to admit a baby. Then, we took him to the Fortis Hospital in Mulund," said Mangal, Atharva's mother.

Admitted in ICU
Atharva has been admitted in the paediatric ICU and currently kept under observation for 48 hours. According to the family, the CT scan and other reports have not shown any internal bleeding. The Govandi Police have made an entry of the incident. They were alerted when Atharva was taken to the hospital. According to cops who examined the spot, "The baby must have fallen on a flexible tree branch and held it until he lost its grip and fell, which reduced his speed. Had he fallen directly on the ground, it could have been fatal." The cops suspect he gripped on the tree first as he was found holding a few leaves after he fell.

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A constable attached to MIDC police station was arrested on Saturday for raping a 20-year-old who was caught stealing chocolates from D-Mart in Powai. The accused, Madhukar Avhad, has been arrested by the Powai police for rape.

The Powai police said, on February 6, they received a call from the D-Mart staff informing them about a woman caught stealing 10 chocolates from the store. Avhad, who was on duty at the time, visited the mall and took a detailed note in writing from the woman that she would not repeat the act. Avhad then took her Aadhaar card details and phone number.

The next day, Avhad called to the woman telling her he would return her Aadhaar card and statement. He then took her to a hotel near Aarey Road saying he would return it to her there.

On reaching the hotel room, Avhad forced himself on her and even took a selfie on her phone. Avhad then refused to return her statement and Aadhaar card telling her to meet him again. On Saturday, the woman's husband saw the selfie on her phone and registered a case of rape against the constable at Powai police station.

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When disciples of the late Odissi exponent Kelucharan Mohapatra speak of him, they never fail to quote a life lesson he imparted to them. "Practising hard makes you a good dancer. But the day you embrace humility is when you become an artiste," he would say. More than 1,200 km to the south, Chennai-based Aruna Sairam practises a different classical art form, but what ties the Padma Shri awardee to Carnatic music is the same bond of humility.

Born in Mumbai, she was introduced to the music tradition by her mother. Six decades and several accolades later — she received the Sangeetha Kalanidhi award by the Madras Music Academy in January — she remains open to new experiences to keep her music evolving. Back in the city for a concert this evening, caught up with the vocalist.
Edited excerpts from the interview.

How did your years in Mumbai shape you as an artiste?
I was brought up in Dadar Parsi Colony and went to the JB Vachha school. So, I lived in two happy worlds. One at home, where we spoke Tamil and my mother taught me Carnatic music. And one outside, where I enrolled for western music in school, took up Gujarati as a second language, and learnt Hindi and Marathi on the streets. We moved to Chennai in 2000 because that's the headquarters of the style of music I practise, but the cosmopolitan Bombay is what I am.

The first half of my concerts is dedicated to pure Carnatic music — something I learnt from my guru, Smt T Brinda. But I also sing abhangs in a Carnatic rendition. There are songs of Ganpati Visarjan, the hymn Vaishnav Jana To in folk Gujarati... in the last part.

You've also trained under international voice masters.
Since my school days, I had been introduced to the idea that in the West, they have techniques to hone your voice. So, when I felt I was finding it difficult to fully convey my emotions in my voice, I decided to train under them.

You have been performing since you were eight. What keeps you going?
I was in Jerusalem for a concert recently. I took the help of a professor there to learn a Hebrew song. When I sang it, people got emotional because they felt someone had taken the trouble to learn an important part of their culture. This sense of newness keeps me going.

ON Tonight, 7 pm
AT Fine Arts Cultural Centre, RC Marg, Chembur 
CALL 25222988

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"Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yaha, zara bachke zara hatke yehe Mumbai meri jaan." We hum the song in our head, as we alight a train from the Ghatkopar Metro station. We are headed towards Chembur's Via Bombay. This is a city that grew from being a swampland that didn't interest the British East India Company to a bustling port city of the Empire, and eventually India's commercial centre. All of this is on our mind as we check out the menu that will circumnavigate its historic legacy.

We start with a paan pasand (Rs 340), an excellent pour of dark rum, betel leaf, mint, lime, gulkand and soda which is refreshing on the palate without being too sugary. We sip, and soak in its interiors, a green dress circle bar that is lit up and walls done up in frames of old newspaper scans.

From starters, we pick the baida pakoda (Rs 190) a deep-fried snack with a thick coat of gram flour. We wish the batter had been salted and spiced, for we have to resort to the green chutney for flavour. The Bombay duck rawa fry (Rs 275) on the other hand, is shallow fried and coated in semolina. The kick of desi masalas transports us to the streets of Bandra where Koli ladies selling the specialty. The Bhavnagri chillies (rs xx) taste good. It's stuffed with a coconut filling and served with a yummy side of peru dahi, which we feel deserves a special salute.

Baida pakoda

We wash it down with a Bombay gulab (Rs 320). After a fiery dish, the saccharine sweet drink helps, but the Rooh Afza and vodka jugalbandi sends our head into a tizzy. And not in a good way. For mains, we pick the mutton thali (R475), which comes with salad, gajar ka halwa, curd, mutton sukka and curry, daal and chapati. The dish is nowhere near the fare that's whipped up at its humble Maharashtrian counterparts scattered across the city.

(Clockwise from left on Thali) Salad, gajar, dudhi and beetroot halwa, curd, mutton sukka, mutton curry, daal and chapati

One spoonful of the dessert Amar Akbar Anthony (Rs 250), and we wish we had ordered it first. A delicious medley of gajaar, dudhi and beetroot halwa, the sweet treat is laden with ghee; just the way it should be. After all, unless you're calling yourself a health café, desi dishes ought to stick to their original recipes, never mind a dollop or two of extra fat.

Bombay gulaab

And though we loved the halwa, we leave the restaurant wishing the fare was a truer representation of asli Bombaywallah swaad.

AT Via Bombay, Jewel of Chembur, Chembur East 
TIME 12 pm to 3 pm; 7 pm to 11.30 pm
CALL 67099988

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Via Bombay didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

A 27-year-old MBBS student committed suicide by jumping off from a high-rise in Thane on Saturday. She was rushed to the hospital, where the doctor declared her dead. The deceased was identified as Dr Shamista Som, daughter of dermatologist Dr Kaberi Som. Police have found a suicide note in which she spoke about the pressure she faced for the preparation of her MD exams.

Shamista was living with her parents on the 12th floor of Glory building in Everest Society at Kolshet. Sources revealed that in 2016, Shamista had completed her MBBS and was preparing for her MD. On Friday night, she had spoken of the stress related to the same with her parents.

Glory building in Everest Society. Pic/Rajesh S. Gupta

"According to the parents, they spoke at length with their daughter and tried to calm her. Afterwards, she told her parents she was going to study," an officer said. Around 5 AM on Saturday, the security guard found her lying in a pool of blood. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.

To mid-day, AV Deshmukh, senior inspector at Koparbaudi police station, said, "We have found a suicide note written by the deceased. The reason behind the suicide seems to be depression. However, we have registered the death as an accident and are inquiring into the case."

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A 58-year-old man was arrested after 11 kg of charas (cannabis resin) was seized from him here in Maharashtra, police said Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, the anti-extortion cell of Thane police laid a trap and apprehended Azimuddin Ahmed Ansari at Kalyan town here on Saturday evening, police spokesperson Sukhada Narkar said in a release.

A search of his bag led to the recovery of nearly 11 kg of charas, worth around Rs 22 lakh, she said. Ansari, a resident of Siwan district in Bihar, had apparently got the contraband from Nepal, Narkar said. A probe was underway to ascertain as to whom he was planning to sell the contraband, she said, adding that the accused was booked under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

In another incident, the Mumbai Police has effected a massive drugs haul, valued at Rs 1,000 crore and arrested four drug-peddlers, a top official said on Friday.

The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) swooped on a car parked at Shastri Nagar, in Vile Parle and seized around 100 kg of the banned Fentanyl, which is said to be 50 times more powerful than heroin. According to ANC chief, DCP Shivdeep Lande, following a reliable tip-off to a policeman Santosh Bhalekar about delivery of Fentanyl, the ANC's Azad Maidan Unit laid a trap on Wednesday.

Four drug peddlers were caught with the drugs near the service road outside the Mumbai Airport in Vile Parle East, said Lande, of the biggest success notched by Mumbai Police so far. "We have seized 100 kg of the banned drugs. It is worth around Rs 10 crore/kg and the total seizure is worth around Rs 1,000 crore," Lande said.

The four accused arrested are -- Salim Ismail Dhola, 52 of Ghodapdev and Chandramani Matamani Tiwari, 41 of Kandivali, both in Mumbai, and Sandeep Indrajeet Tiwari and Ghanshyam Ramraj Saroj, both from Nala Sopara town in the adjacent Palghar district. According to the tip-off, Dhola and two others were expected to arrive at a spot in Vakola, Santacruz east around 8.30 p.m. with the drugs consignment which was reportedly being smuggled to a North American country.

The vehicle halted near a tree on the road where a fourth accomplice was already waiting near his scooter for half an hour. After exchanging pleasantries, one of the car occupants came out and handed over a blue coloured container to the man waiting outside. This was the opportune moment when the waiting ANC team struck and caught them red-handed. They also recovered three more blue containers full of the banned drugs from the vehicle.

Later, it was found to be the very high-priced Fentanyl drug, and a mere 25 gm is lethal enough to kill a man, police said. Considered a party drug, with around 20,000 overdose-related deaths in the US in 2016, Fentanyl is basically an anaesthetic medicine, but made illegally into a recreational drug, with a lethal mixture of heroin or cocaine.

On December 27, the accused were booked under relevant sections of the NDPS and IPC acts for the offences, and have been remanded to police custody till January 1, police said.

With inputs from PTI

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A highly decomposed body of a 42-year-old woman was found dumped on a roadside near the Mumbai-Agra highway here in Maharashtra, police said Sunday.

A group of devotees proceeding on foot to Shirdi temple town spotted the body, bearing injury marks on head, at a forest in Asangaon area of Sahapur taluka on Friday, an official at Sahapur police station said. An Aadhaar card found stuck in her clothes revealed her identity as Vandana Khermode, hailing from Solapur district in Maharashtra, he said.

The police subsequently sent the body for postmortem to J J Hospital in neighbouring Mumbai. Based on the autopsy report, a case was registered by the police on Saturday under IPC section 302 (murder) against unidentified persons, he said. The body was later handed over to the woman's relatives, he said, adding that a probe was on to ascertain why and where she was killed.

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A 26-year-old man from Kalyan in Maharashtra's Thane district has been booked for allegedly molesting his sister-in-law, police said Monday.

The woman in her complaint stated that she was living in her mother-in-law's home as her husband was bedridden following a paralytic attack and was being nursed there, said an official.

At her mother-in-law's home, the accused made sexual advances towards her, the victim said in her complaint. "After the victim rejected his overtures, the accused assaulted her ailing husband. She was molested by the accused when she intervened.

Neighbours rushed in and saved the couple," he said. The woman filed a complaint with MFC police station in Kalyan Sunday evening following which the man was booked, he said, adding that no arrest has been made so far.

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A local court has sentenced a man from Mira Road in the district to one year jail for stalking and ca 16-year-old girl nearly six years ago. Special judge Kavita Shirbhate convicted Yogesh Borade, 33, on Friday and also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on him.

He was held guilty under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The incident had taken place late evening on March 18, 2013.

The girl was walking towards her home, when two persons on a two-wheeler waylaid her, prosecutor Rekha Hiwrale told the court. Borade, who was pillion riding, started troubling and abusing the minor.

Later, he got off the vehicle and started walking alongside her and also mildly pushed her, she said. Based on a complaint, the police had booked the accused and later arrested him.

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