Vino therapy in Bandra
Two decades ago, drinking wine was restricted to snooty pseudo-intellectuals who turned the experience into flavour profiles of tannins and acids, melons and mango, and grape varieties that we could barely pronounce.
We now sip in times when the pourer, who once intimidated us with technical terms, explains the story of the vineyard, the grape and body with passion in layman’s terms.
When we stepped into 266 Wine and Bar Room, we were quickly reminded of the Kala Ghoda Wine Bar that recently opened in the much-loved backroom of Kala Ghoda Café. The space is done up in hues of light blue and grey, with light fixtures adding a warm, amber glow from low-wattage tungsten bulbs. We settle into blue sofas, preferring the comfort to the high stools that may turn tricky after a few glasses.
266 Charcuterie and Cheese Board
The 266 Charcuterie and Cheese Board (Rs 675) is an indulgence with brie, camembert, cheddar, strawberries, walnuts, olives and chicken and pork cold cuts. Between nibbles and sips, we realise this is a space we’d love to hang out at for conversations or even some alone time.
The platter beautifully compliments the wines. The thirstier one among us has signed up for an old world red wine flight (Rs 1,800) that takes her from an Italian pinot noir by Folonari, which is crisp and medium-bodied, to a full-bodied French syrah by Domaine Gayda, a Spanish Monastrell and finally, a fresh Italian Umani Ronchi of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Of the lot, the syrah’s peppery, fruity notes get the highest applause.
World maps should have been taught according to wine regions of the world, we think, as we enjoy the joyride through this mini trip across some of the world’s finest wine counties. On the other hand, we sip a honeyed South African Chenin blanc by Tall Horse (Rs 850) which is tart-y, fruity and light on the palate.
Tomato stew with prawns and Malabari paratha
The food at this wine bar draws our attention too. We take a risk and order the tomato stew with prawns (Rs 575) that comes with a side of flaky, buttery Malabari paratha (Rs 60). It’s a great example of wine pairing with Indian food. The broth is sweet, tangy and cuts the acidity of the wine. With the cheese board now reduced to crumbs of brie and cheddar, we settle for a dark chocolate and olive oil mousse (Rs 425) that gives our spirited sojourn a bittersweet (pun not intended) end.
AT 266 Wine and Bar Room, next to Shopper’s Stop, Linking Road, Bandra West
TIME 4 pm to 12 am
CALL 8879101350
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
266 Wine and Bar Room didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals
A FRIENDS-themed meet up in Bandra
Do you know what Chandler Bing does for a living? If the answer is yes, and you think you can do better than Rachel and Monica did in a quiz in Season 4 episode 12, head to this Friends-themed meet-up in Bandra West. Conducted by quiz organising company Ace of Pubs, who recently hosted similar events themed around the Game of Thrones and The Office, the aim is to take you on a trip down memory lane with some fun games.
"The questions will be around iconic moments from the show and we'll have 10 to 15 teams of three to eight people. Just sign up with your friends online," says Hardik Jain from the gaming company. While you'll get something from the menu on the house for each right answer, including their special line of craft beer, they also have movie tickets and Friends merchandise up for grabs.
ON March 26, 8 pm
AT Effingut, Ganga Jamna Sangam Building, Linking Road, Bandra West
CALL 71179491
LOG ON TO https://bit.ly/2UaR7aS
FREE
Taimur Ali Khan plays Holi with the paparazzi at his Bandra residence
It is the festival of colours and most of the people are celebrating their day of happiness with family and friends. Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor's son, Taimur Ali Khan, who is already a social media sensation, was spotted celebrating Holi with the paparazzi, whom time and again, he is seen waving and smiling at!
A video shared by one of Taimur's fan club, where the tiny tot is seen playing with the water gun at his Bandra residence, has become a wave on the net. Take a look!
Taimur, in his house, is seen in a playful mode while spreading joy with his smile and spraying water from the balcony.
Meanwhile, Soha Ali Khan, sister of Saif Ali Khan, also shared a colourful pretty picture of Inaaya Naumi Kemmu on Instagram. Soha captioned the image: "Happy holi!!! [sic]"
Isn't she looking adorably cute?
Kareena Kapoor Khan, who is married to actor Saif Ali Khan, has time and again expressed concern over the growing paparazzi culture in India. She wondered how people could be so interested in her two-year-old son Taimur's life.
Also Read: Taimur Ali Khan is also a bookworm just like papa Saif Ali Khan; see photos
Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Rainbow-hued laughs with comedian Navin Noronha at Khar
An engineering graduate, Navin Noronha is also an openly gay stand-up comedian, who uses his humour to acquaint people with the struggles of the LGBTQ community. Watch him at his comedy special, The Good Child, which covers humorous takes on what it's like to grow up queer in India. From stories about coming out and online dating, to tackling family and gay relationships, Noronha will cover it all.
ON March 22, 8.30 pm
AT The Habitat, Khar West
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
ENTRY Rs 250
Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
.jpg)
Kids choir in Bandra to stage classic musicals
For Celeste Cordo, growing up in Bandra was a lot about figuring out the right harmonies and vocal arrangements in her choir. But, when the neighbourhood children's choir became defunct about a decade ago, Celeste, now 60, decided to start her own music education avenue with Gleehive, spearheaded by a children's choir. "She wanted to start her own choir for the neighbourhood kids to learn and appreciate music," says Dawn Cordo, her 30-year-old daughter. And they will be bringing some of the magic and sense of belonging that comes with being part of a choir to Mumbaikars at their annual concert, The Gleehive Buzz, tomorrow.
It's their teaching style that makes this concert a tad different from others. "Our classes are not academically driven and we don't have any certification. So, it's not just meant for people who can sing, but anyone who appreciates music," says Dawn, who completed her degree in music education from Berkley College of Music and decided to come back to start an education programme, besides singing backing vocals in studios and doing vocal arrangements for artistic projects.
Dawn Cordo
The evening will go on to show their growth from being just a choir, as there will also be small instrumental ensembles with students playing string and woodwind instruments. The kids, aged between five and 15, will show their dancing skills as well as play different characters on stage. "The music won't just be classical or jazz, but also include songs from musicals like The Ugly Duckling. The theme is markets from around the world because we wanted to show that life is like a marketplace where you meet people from varied cultures, you get things and you lose things, and even when there's a disagreement, we always approach one another with kindness and love," adds Dawn.
The performers also include kids with autism and ADHD, who, Dawn says, have only benefited from pursuing their musical interests. "Music is therapeutic. There's a student who communicates better because of the feeling of being included. It's also important for kids who aren't exposed to those with special needs to mingle with them," shares Dawn.
ON March 20, 7 pm to 8.30 pm
AT St Andrew's Auditorium, St Dominic Road, Bandra West
CALL 26410926 (for passes)
Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
First- women-only street art festival in Marol looks promising
"Empowerment is such a frequently used term. Sab bolte hai. But what it really implies is to just be yourself," Avantika Mathur asserts. The 30-year-old artist from Navi Mumbai has been making graffiti on the city's walls for years — and in some cases, the street lamp got there after the artwork did. "Art is a powerful medium, but street art is the best form to explain an ideology. It's an open gallery," she adds. And next week, Mathur along with six female artists will transform the neighbourhood of Marol into a gallery through Ladies First, India's first women-only street art festival.
Walls spanning over 10,000 sq ft will be painted on in Marol Village
The week-long event organised by Marol-based graffiti agency Wicked Broz in collaboration with the Military Road Residents Welfare Association, will see artists paint on multi-storied buildings and running walls spanning over 10,000 sq ft. Although talks about putting together a street art festival were in the works for a year, the idea of turning it into a women's-only event culminated from a Rajasthan trip in January that the organisers were part of. Rikis D Santander, a street artist from Chile, had mentioned that not only were India's gullies overcrowded, but very few women were part of that crowd.
Avantika Mathur
"Even globally there are very few female-centric events. Someone even asked us why women need a separate festival. I said that if I count the number of women who paint on the streets, that number will still be miniscule. Until we don't celebrate these artists, people won't be motivated to come out and paint," Zain Siddiqui of Wicked Broz explains, adding that they initially conceptualised a grander event with more artists. "But a lot of festivals happen as a one-time thing and then disappear. We didn't want that," he says, while proceeding to talk about the line-up that includes Abigail Aroha Jensen from New Zealand, Delhi-based Anpu Varkey and Ratna Singh, a Warli artist.
Zain Siddiqui
"The styles are diverse and we haven't only restricted ourselves to graffiti because we don't want to go around painting something ambiguous. It should mean something," Siddiqui tells us, while Mathur adds, "While Anpu paints large animals, I follow a bohemian surrealist style, which is all about finding yourself."
MC Manmeet Kaur
In addition to wall painting, Ladies First will also feature workshops, exhibitions of canvas work by participating artists, talks and film screenings. Hip-hop cyphers by female artistes such as Goa-based rapper MC Manmeet Kaur is also scheduled to take place. And on the last day, the public (including men) will be free to create artwork on a large wall. As Mathur says, education is key. "For people to appreciate street art, it is necessary that they understand it first. So, each piece we create will have a narrative."
ON March 25 to 31, 9 am to 6 pm
AT Bharat Van, Military Road, Marol Art Village, Andheri East.
CALL 8887795823
Email ladiesfirststreetart@gmail.com
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Parineeti to play Saina Nehwal; replaces Shraddha for this reason
The ace shuttler Saina Nehwal's biopic has faced several hiccups ever since the makers announced the film in 2017. Shraddha Kapoor, who was the first choice, has now backed out from the project due to her hectic schedule. Parineeti Chopra has been already approached to replace the Baaghi actress, and she has given it a nod.
On playing Saina Nehwal, Parineeti Chopra says, "I was dying to do a sports-based film. Its a part of my personality as an actor that I have never explored, and I am so happy that I get to portray a strong and powerful girl like Saina! She has put our country on the world map and I excited to put in all the training and hard work that comes with learning the game of Badminton and portraying Saina on screen."
"We want to wrap Saina by this year end for an early 2020 release, so going ahead with the project is a decision made by mutual consent. We are glad Parineeti has come on board for the film. Saina has made every Indian proud and we can't wait to take her story to the world in the year of the Olympics," says producer Bhushan Kumar.
Shraddha Kapoor, who had even started shooting for the biopic, had earlier said that she had been practising for the role for many months and during the process, she realised how hard it was for Saina to achieve the success. "I clocked 40 classes of badminton in preparation for this biopic. It's a really tough sport, but I am enjoying myself. To get an insight into the life of a sportsperson is fascinating. Saina's journey itself is so interesting right from her misses to her injuries and victories," Shraddha said in an old statement. Unfortunately, Kapoor is no more part of the film.
Bhushan Kumar also made an official announcement through Twitter.
Delighted to welcome @ParineetiChopra on board for the Saina Nehwal biopic!
— Bhushan Kumar (@itsBhushanKumar) March 15, 2019
#AmoleGupte @NSaina @deepabhatia11 @sujay_jairaj @TSeries pic.twitter.com/dl7MP820Ov
Finally, the film, which has not yet seen the light of the day has landed in the Kesari actress' kitty.
Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
WR's plan for Jogeshwari station: We are trying to save lives
In what it termed a 'surgical closure' on trespassing and track crossing, Western Railway authorities on Thursday morning permanently shut the age-old Jogeshwari railway track crossing, inviting both bouquets and brickbats. With an average of 35 to 38 deaths from crossing tracks here every year, the station authorities were forced to make this move. The railways also posted teams of policemen between the tracks and the fencing on Thursday to avoid any chaos. The first day of this closure saw many angry locals along with commuters who welcomed the move.
"This is julum. How will we cross now? The government should not do this. They should have built escalators for people like us and then shut down the crossing," Mohammad Ansar, a senior citizen arguing with an RPF constable said. "Yeh accha kiya [good job]," was another reaction. "They should have done this earlier. But it is better late than never. The public here used to jump the tracks very often," another commuter Ramesh Narayan said.
Abundance of FOBs
On visiting the station, mid-day found that there are three big foot-over bridges here, one at the Churchgate end connecting east to west, the other one is in the middle connecting the station to the west side and the third one is at the Virar-end, again connecting east to west and the Harbour line station through a walkway. However, the only one at the Churchgate end sees heavy traffic during rush hours. The bridge is connected to a wide elevated deck. The only problem is with the narrow staircase landing on platforms one and two. The WR intends to widen platforms and extend them towards Churchgate for 15-car trains.
"We are saving lives. Closing the open holes in the walls was a priority to stop people from crossing tracks. The bridge access is being improved but things do not happen overnight. There is a short-term and a long-term plan in place which the Western Railway is working on," Western Railway Mumbai Divisional Railway Manager Sunil Kumar told mid-day.
"The Western Railway has elaborate plans to widen the existing platform one and two soon," Western Railway's chief public relations officer Ravinder Bhakar said. Bhakar said that the widening (by two metres) of platform one and two is planned by reducing the width of platform three and four. This will be done under platform extension work in connection with the 15-coach work. A total of four escalators, one in the first phase and three in the second phase are planned too.
"At present the width of the platform is only 7.5 metres, which will be increased to 9.5 metres by realigning tracks. The staircases will be widened to six metres and the station manager's room will be shifted to the elevated deck. There is also a plan to build one foot-over bridge to connect the Harbour line platform with the east side of the station," he added. The WR also plans to have a long-distance train terminal at Jogeshwari towards the Borivali end of the station later.
Also Read: Mumbai bridge collapse: CST foot overbridge was audited after 2017 stampede
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Aamir Khan celebrates birthday with media; makes special announcement
Aamir Khan had a customary cake-cutting ceremony with the media at his Bandra home, holding a press conference. On his birthday, the actor, who turned 54 today, made an announcement of his next film titled Laal Singh Chadda. Aamir's next release is a remake of Hollywood film Forest Gump (1994). The film starred Tom Hanks and Robin Wright and was based on a novel of the same name.
Following this, Aamir Khan will take off for North Ireland to attend the ongoing Belfast Film Festival. He will be in conversation with Nasreen Munni Kabir on 16th to discuss his body of work.
Check out the pictures of Aamir Khan's 54th birthday celebrations here. (All pictures/Shadab Khan, Yogen Shah)
Aamir Khan's 54th birthday celebration
Aamir Khan was accompanied by his wife Kiran Rao.
Aamir Khan cuts his birthday cake
Fans across the nation have been pouring in wishes for Aamir by posting the actor's pictures, which also saw a strong social trend with the #HappyBirthdayAamirKhan.
Aamir Khan and wife Kiran Rao at his 54th birthday celebrations with media persons
Kiran Rao clicked while feeding the birthday cake to Aamir Khan
Known as Mr Perfectionist of the industry, Aamir Khan for Bollywood has over the years created an image that many look up to. From making films that address the pertinent issues of the society, to speaking his mind on raging issues even off camera, Aamir Khan has always been the one with a calculative brain and has used his position to impart a change in the society.
On the professional front, Aamir Khan likes to explore with the character he plays and the actor likes to surprise his fans with new characters. To experiment with roles, Aamir grows his hair and beard before every film. This also gives him the flexibility to play with multiple looks in one film. We wonder, what Aamir Khan's look would be in Laal Singh Chadda!
Here's wishing a very happy birthday to Aamir Khan!
Also Read: Aamir Khan is a family man, these picture-perfect frames are proof!
Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Lights out
We've all been scared of darkness at some point in our lives (some of us still are). This Saturday, an event will draw from your apprehensions and offer a unique sensory experience.
Put on a blindfold, and stay still as a group of actors whisper stories by Mulchand Premchand and Saadat Hasan Manto in your ear — blurring the line between the actor and the character they play.
ON March 16, 5 pm onwards.
AT Whistling Woods Andheri Base, Link Road, Andheri West. LOG ON TO in.bookmyshow.com
COST Rs 500
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
GOT, Marvel: Meet fellow fans at theme based meet-ups in Bandra
Breaking a leg to commercial tunes blaring out of speakers at a crowded club might be fun for some. But a cosy setting with a close group of friends huddled around a table, sipping on cold beer, sounds more like the kind of night the time-strapped and hard-working Mumbaikar might opt for when looking to unwind.
A glimpse from a Beer Tales session
It is this milieu that Effingut, which debuted in the city last year, is trying to emulate. "Our outlet in Bandra is more of a sit-down place where there's no loud music, so you can have real conversations. We thought, 'What do people do when they meet up at a friend's place?' They sit and talk, and typically it's about things like Game of Thrones, or the latest Marvel movie. And that's when we decided to launch this programme," says Sanika Kelkar, who helms marketing for the brewery, speaking about Beer Tales, a weekly interactive session.
Sanika Kelkar
At these events, Kelkar explains, what transpires is a casual chat with attendees discussing everything ranging from contorted Game of Thrones theories to the best songs by Coldplay. "We have got a great response. In fact, the idea to host a meet-up themed around Friends came from our patrons," Kelkar shares, adding, "To keep the enthusiasm going we have giveaways, like beer, DVDs and cool merchandise. We are hoping to organise larger events and meet and greet sessions, too, but we want to keep the essence of these get-togethers casual."
At: Effingut, Linking Road, Bandra West.
On: Every Tuesday, 8 pm to 11 pm
Call: 8657449223
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates
Playing to their strengths
The mention of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DIO), more popularly known as multiple personality disorder, is likely to evoke memories of chilling sequences featuring James McAvoy in Split (2016). Or closer home, Vidya Balan in her blood-thirsty alter ego of Manjulika in Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007). Theatre director Suketu Shah's response was no different when writer-actor Abhishek Pattnaik suggested it as the crux of their new play. So, before embarking on their production, Kaise Karenge, the duo decided to further educate themselves about the mental health condition through online research and speaking to psychologists, and came away surprised.
"Dissociative identity disorder [DIO] is often bracketed with violent personalities who do grotesque things, thanks to their on-screen portrayal. But there is really nothing to be scared of. In fact, it could even be a case of multiple specialties — more like a superpower — which comes across in the play," says Shah, who started Out of the Box Production with Pattnaik over seven years ago, making it one of the youngest professional theatre companies in the country.
Keeping up with the young vibe, the cast of the play, which revolves around the story of two brothers, includes Pattnaik and Darsheel Safary in the lead roles. Safary, known for his moving portrayal of a dyslexic child in Taare Zameen Par, plays the younger brother. A smart 21-year-old who already has four patents to his name and is about to leave for the US for his masters at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his world changes when he realises his elder sibling suffers from DIO. He decides to stay on, and figure out their lives together.
"I am not from a science background, so I had to take a mini crash course in it from friends pursuing their studies in the stream," admits Safary, who completed his graduation in mass media, and is considering a masters in filmmaking. Having made his foray in theatre with the English comedy Can I Help You? this is his third play.
When asked about the experience of acting on the stage vis-à-vis for the camera, he shares, "In theatre, you get to see the audience reaction live, which helps forge a connect with them. It also limits the room for error. So, with all your senses switched on, it sharpens you as an actor. This is a skill I hope to employ before the camera, too."
About playing multiple characters rolled into one, Pattnaik says that it took three months of rehearsal to get a grip over them. "I speak in Hindi; Hindi with a touch of Haryanvi; and like a pakka Mumbaikar in the roles I play. That required me to shed all inhibitions, and practise switching seamlessly from one role to another using body language and intonation," he says.
Having started out as management students who plunged into theatre full time, Pattnaik and Shah also want to use their productions to encourage young people to consider making a living in the medium. "Theatre is a challenging medium to work and survive in. Finding the right people to work with is another challenge. We learnt everything on the job," shares Shah. Pattnaik is quick to add, "But we have made it for seven-plus years. And that's the message we want to send out."
ON March 17, 6.30 pm
AT Balgandharva Rang Mandir, off Linking Road, junction of 24th and 32nd Road, next to Patwardhan Park, Bandra West
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
CALL 9920536475
ENTRY Rs 400 onwards
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Learn seed saving at this workshop in Bandra
Most of us youngsters are the poster children for all of the woke world's "isms". So, it may appear that we are championing the cause of environmentalism. While this might be true to some extent, Preeti Patel has a different story to tell.
"The majority of our sustained volunteers are in their 40s and seldom do we have young people attending our workshops," laments Patel, a catering officer with the Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) who founded Urban Leaves in 2009, an initiative that seeks to create awareness on food safety-related issues.
Freshly plucked veggies
Twenty years ago, in order to recycle waste generated at the central kitchen of the MPT, which caters to the organisation's departmental canteens, Patel started a small garden on the cookhouse's rooftop. "When I saw it flourish into a beautiful forest, I thought of taking the initiative outside MPT and to those who wanted to learn," she recalls while speaking about an upcoming workshop titled Vegetable Diversity and Seed-Saving Techniques, which the group will host.
Patel and her team conduct talks and workshops in order to fuel their endeavour of acquainting the uninitiated with the myriad issues the country is facing in the agricultural sector. The loss of homegrown seeds and depletion of desi varieties of veggies, Patel tells us, is a primary concern, aggravated by the supremacy of MNCs. "A local seed reaps the best harvest, in terms of plant health. However, their circulation is less vis-a-vis the supply of genetically modified variants, which is what the government is trying to push into our food systems and the MNCs are controlling," she points out, explaining why seed saving is the need of the hour. "It is our wealth and the traditional knowledge of saving your own seeds can be empowering," she shares.
But what is seed saving? How to save a them? Which seeds to save and what is the best time to do so? These are questions that newbies are likely to struggle with. So, on Sunday, Patel is hoping to assist enthusiasts and encourage them to participate in community farming by having these questions answered. The workshop will be conducted by Deepika Kundaji who has worked in organic farming at the Pebble Garden, a farm in Auroville, for 30 years.
AT St Andrew's College, St Dominic Road, Bandra West
ON March 10, 9 am to 1.30 pm
LOG ON TO urbanleaves.org
COST Rs 1,200
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Pics: On Maha Shivratri, Kriti Sanon visits Shiv Temple in Santacruz
Marking the occasion of Mahashivratri along with the success of her film Luka Chuppi, Kriti Sanon visited a Shiv temple in the suburbs of Mumbai to express her gratitude to the almighty.
With an opening of Rs 8.01 crore, Luka Chuppi marked Kriti Sanon's highest opener, as the lead actress. Amidst her busy schedule, Kriti visited Shiv Mandir in Santacruz to offer prayers and thank the almighty for showering her with love from the audience.
Check out some pictures here:
Kriti Sanon clicked at Shiv Temple in Santacruz (All Pictures/Yogen Shah)
Kriti Sanon clicked at Shiv Temple in Santacruz with her mother
Kriti Sanon clicked at Shiv Temple in Santacruz with her mother
Riding high on the success of her recent film Luka Chuppi, Kriti Sanon has been garnering love and appreciation for her quirky character Rashmi.
Kriti Sanon obliges a fan with a selfie outside the temple
Earlier, the actress visited Cinema halls to gauge the reactions of the audience as well as sold tickets at the theatre herself, surprising her fans with her sweet gesture. The actress has carved a place for herself with strong characters delivering remarkable performances there by winning the hearts of the audience.
Beginning the year with Luka Chuppi, Kriti Sanon is all set to offer a plethora of diverse characters this year with her films hailing from different genres. She will be next seen in Arjun Patiala, Housefull 4, and Panipat.
Also Read: Exclusive: Kriti Sanon on Panipat character: Killing people with sword was powerful
Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
A bike hike at beautiful beaches of Gorai
Fancy cycling to the beautiful beaches of Gorai? Want to pedal away on roads lined with mangrove trees before you park your bike in front of sea-facing rocks? Then sign up for an event called Cycling- The Adventurous Islands of Mumbai. And apart from the exercise you get, you can also take in sights like the Golbal Vipassana Pagoda and Uttam Lighthouse.
ON March 3, 6 am to 1 pm
MEET AT Borivali Biryani Centre, Shimpoli Chikuwadi, Borivali West
CALL 9833376765
Cost Rs 2,500 (for rented cycles)
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Spreading the word
The image of a daffodil in a botany textbook can instantly transport you to 1802 — when William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy walked on the shore of Ullswater in the Lake District and spotted the flowers waving in the wind. Two years later, he wrote I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud — one of the most widely-read poems in the English language.
The beauty of poetry lies in this intersectionality; a poem sometimes translates into a tangible memory. And when poems are performed, this memory grows stronger, thus reducing the time it takes to relate to text, because action and emotion matter. But the divide between performance poetry and the written word is evident. The former isn't taken as seriously and the latter seems too overwhelming.That's why a new publishing initiative has promised to tackle that.
Nirav Mehta and Ishmeet Nagpal
Dentist-turned-social activist Ishmeet Nagpal, 30, and tech analyst Nirav Mehta, 28, who also co-founded the popular city-based book club Broke Bibliophiles - Bombay Chapter, conceptualised the idea of Nirvana Publishers this year to give space to diverse voices in poetry. "The bigger publication houses have started publishing fewer books on poetry and short stories. We feel it's absolutely necessary for these voices to be heard and read in the mainstream media. Every novel begins with a short story," Mehta tells us, and Nagpal concurs. "Most young artists find the publication process daunting. We want to curate and handhold such poets and storytellers to bring forward as many perspectives as possible."
A Broke Bibliophiles meetup at Powai Lake
They also aim to blur the divide between various formats of poetry, and the first step in doing so is through a soft launch this weekend at a Bandra venue where city spoken-word poets — many of whom are part of the book club — including Aekta Khubchandani, Amina Arif, Damini Kane, Manisha Lakhe and mid-day journalist Aastha Atray-Banan will perform pieces themed around empathy.
A meet-up involves book discussions and sometimes even features authors
"There is a revolution underway in the spoken word arena, but it is limited to pockets in the metro cities. To increase the reach, it would be great to have some of these voices in a publication that people sitting anywhere in the world can experience," they say, adding that they will initially start with accepting submissions in English and delve into more languages and translations after learning what their audience appreciates.
Their initiative as of now remains self-funded as the two juggle day jobs. But Mehta says that they are open to funding, as and when an angel investor turns up.
Aekta Khubchandani and Amina Arif
Although Nirvana hasn't put out an open call for submissions, as they will formally begin in April, people are free to send pitches. At the end of the day, the goal is to stay approachable. "There are so many rigid rules that dictate what constitutes page literature and what is classified as spoken word or performance-oriented writing. Of course, what may be a great performance piece might not translate just as beautifully on page and vice-versa, but what if it can?" they question. And we wonder if Wordsworth would do a good job.
ON March 3, 6 pm to 9 pm
AT The Pioneer Hall, next to Corona Garden, St John Baptist Road, Mount Mary Steps, Bandra West.
CALL 7021454630
Email nirvana.publishers@gmail.com
FREE
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Mumbai Food: Eatery in Kalina serves value for money fare
We believe that the most important lesson our generation has learnt is that basic is good; enough for fashion labels to have a sub-category of basic apparel and Instagram to source gifs and stickers that say "basic". This (should) transcend to food as well, because at the end of the day, nothing beats sasta and tikau. And so, Kalina's Chindian eatery, King Chilli, has risen above the glitzy culinary offerings of BKC that are high on the glam quotient but not easy on the pocket.
We have been ordering in from what is easily one of the neighbourhood's favourite haunts for months. But a week ago, we learnt that it has launched in a new avatar with a larger dining area not far from the space it started in five years ago. So, on a Sunday night, we finally step out to pay the place a visit.
At the corner of St Mary's Chowk, a brand new shade covers the space. Potted plants line the shack-like eatery and a tawdry magenta curtain, which we identify — having spotted hawkers selling it for '150 at the roadside Monday market — serves as the door. Inside, chairs and tables that evoke the memory of Nilkamal furniture makes for the seating space, along with three booths with slightly plusher sofas that offer some privacy but are rickety all the same.
We join a queue that comprises Catholic aunties in their Sunday frocks and roadside Romeos in their Gully-Boy-inspired garb waiting outside the restaurant. The crowd is substantial, but fast moving, so we get a table in five minutes.
Tom yum
Our partner, who is whining about a sore throat, calls for a tom yum soup (Rs 139) while we order the crackling spinach chicken (Rs 285) and kung pao potato (Rs 174) to begin with, and a chicken in chilly oyster sauce (Rs 295), veg pad Thai noodles (Rs 190) and chicken North East pot rice (Rs 249) for the mains.
Kung pao potato
We find how nothing about the tom yum soup being Thai cute: adrak replaces galangal, nimbu takes the place of kaffir lime and its identifiable piquant broth-y flavour has transformed into a chatpata and fiery soup with a strong kick of spice. The addition of finely chopped dhaniya is equally endearing. Tom yum or not, it works. The chicken appetiser is enjoyable in that the meat itself is juicy and hot. The crackling spinach that it comes with is nice, too, but perhaps could have been elevated with a stronger dose of garlic. We relish the kung pao potatoes and find the use of wedges quite cool: it adds a certain girth to the dish. The lightly toasted whole cashews lend a mild sweetness, marrying the dish with its inherent tanginess.
Chicken in oyster chilli sauce
The pot rice has a smoky hotness that is likely to have come from the overuse of chilli powder. This dish leaves two out of the four people at the table gasping for breath. We are still undecided about the preparation and could only safely say that we did not hate it. The pad thai noodles are a slight let-down having been overcooked this time. However, the chicken in oyster chilly sauce, a staple for us from the eatery, helps liven up the noodles.
We eat quickly despite the shortcomings of the mains and that's where King Chilli actually passes the test. It's the kind of eatery that may have a few botch-ups, but will remain the go-to place (as is evident from the queue even as we leave the restaurant an hour and a half later) for Kalina's humble diners, including us. What we mean is, where else could we have afforded an end-of-the-month double date for a total cost of Rs 1,522 and take home doggy bags? Only a sasta and tikau place, right?
TIME 11.30 am to 3.30 pm; 7 pm to 11.30 pm
AT King Chilli, near St Mary's Chowk, Kalina, Santacruz East.
CALL 9833487217
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
King Chilli didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals
Eat your veggies at a sit-down session at Khar
Enjoy a vegan gourmet experience this Wednesday where you can tuck into dishes like cauliflower pistachio quinoa with cauliflower cream and roasted garlic panisse; beetroot kibbeh with a beetroot walnut pomegranate cream and salted vegan feta; and cacao olive oil cake with cacao oil and lemon coconut ice cream.
The event is curated by chef Raveena Taurani, who says, "Normally, when we step into a restaurant, the main course always focuses on an animal protein or a carbohydrate-heavy dish, but I was keen to showcase the vegetable as a true hero and show people how even veggies can be wholesome and flavourful in a meal."
ON February 27, 8 pm to 10 pm
AT Yogisattva, Pinnacle House, 15th Road, PD Hinduja Junction, Khar West
CALL 9867455009
LOG ON TO yogisattva.com
COST Rs 2,700
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Concert to cheer up children undergoing chemotherapy at Parel hospital
So many of us have lost someone we know to cancer. So when 15-year-old Devika Madgavkar, who was volunteering at the Tata Memorial Centre and working with kids with cancer, asked Alfred D'Souza, the director of her choir Stop-Gaps Junior Choral Ensemble, if they could do something to cheer up the children undergoing chemotherapy, he thought, "why not?"
And Carnival in Song was born. "Madgavakar wanted to do something for the kids, who she observed were quite self-conscious and distant after they lost their hair. Also, many of them hail from a low social economic background. The event is just before Lent, which begins on March 6, and as it's the season of hope, we wanted to brighten up their lives. I prepared two choirs and reached out to others, who agreed immediately," says D'Souza.
The Salvation Singers
The audience will get to hear happy numbers, and renditions of peppy tracks with a samba or calypso beat, akin to what you hear at a carnival, shares D'Souza, adding that while the Stop-Gaps Choral Ensemble will be performing Brazil and Senorita, The Salvation Singers will offer a medley of Hindi songs, and Siddharth Meghani will perform some Elvis Presley tracks. The line-up will also include The Victory Chorus Line, and soloists such as Ella Atai, Kim Cardoz, Mehmood Curmally and Darren Das, accompanied by Mimosa Almeida Pinto (piano) and Ishan Jadwani (drums), besides dancers on stage.
"We've been planning this since October. We have a lot of kids aged between five and 15 years, who have their term exams at the moment, but yet they have been practising," adds D'Souza. All proceeds from the evening will be given to the centre's Runners of Hope Initiative.
ON March 1, 7.45 pm onwards
AT St Andrew's Auditorium, St Andrew's College, St Dominic Road, Bandra West
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
CALL 26410926
COST Rs 300 onwards
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Wilson college students and alumni to spread awareness on environment
The Nature Club of Wilson College is an active one, with members participating in platforms to raise awareness about environmental issues. And with professor Sudhakar Solomon Raj, HOD of the political science department and head of the club, being a music aficionado, the move to celebrate the 40th year of the club's initiation by combining his two passions to organise a nature concert this Monday was only natural. A part of a year-long series, which includes environmental talks, this celebration aims to highlight crucial issues via songs about nature.
The evening will feature collaborations between students of the college. A choir performance by North East Collective comprises 10 students from the region, for example. Then there is the college a cappella group, which, interestingly, resulted from a dare issued by St Xavier's College. The college band, led by Sambhav Singh, will also perform, besides alumni Keegan Pereira, Reinhardt Dias and Riya Kartha. Plus, students from Andrew Vision Centre will perform covers. "We have been using nature-themed songs as an educational tool since 1983. We wanted to share this by providing a platform for our students to express their talent," says Raj.
Keegan Pereira and Reinhardt Dias
Proceeds will go towards organizing nature trails for underprivileged kids, a tree planting drive and publishing an environmental handbook.
ON Today, 7 pm to 9.30 pm
AT St Andrew's Auditorium, St Dominic Road, Bandra West.
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
COST Rs 500 onwards
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Bombay dreams for Kolkata band
The English indie scene in Kolkata is rapidly resembling a guitar with broken strings. We had written about a band that had all six members packing their bags for Mumbai from the Bengal capital some months ago. And a gig this weekend features another band, Rejected Cartoons, that's followed the same trajectory.
"The thing about Kolkata is that there is a really tiny circuit of about 20 indie musicians organising gigs themselves. And you get about '8,000 to '10,000 per gig that you have to divide among five or six people. That wasn't feasible because we were at a point in our lives where music wasn't about pocket money anymore. We wanted to make this our living," multi-instrumentalist Tapasi Bhattacharya tells us, adding that she and keyboardist Rohit Ganesh first moved to Mumbai in October last year to study in a music school, after which guitarists Sankalan Samaddar and Shashank Vishwakarma followed suit to take a plunge in the city's music industry.
The band is currently working on an EP. We gave two of their originals — Bless Me Fair and Lifeline — a listen and found them to have the sort of mellow sound that's suited for a walk down a street lined with cherry blossom trees. The band, curiously, also covers Arabic and Nepali tracks by singers such as Bipul Chhetri. But what we found really encouraging — at least for the future of independent music in India — is the fact that they have their own renditions of songs by their more established peers.
Think about it. Here we have a bunch of musicians in their mid-twenties playing the songs of indie biggies like Parvaaz. What that means is that the younger lot is no longer looking only to the West or Bollywood for cover tracks. Home is where the music is. Except, not literally, in the case of Rejected Cartoons. For, home for them means Kolkata. And we know what the situation in that city is.
ON March 2, 8.30 pm
AT Harkat Studios, bungalow number 75, JP Road, Versova, Andheri West
LOG ON TO insider.in
Cost Rs 300
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Goregaon school wildlife fest explores the wonders of the marine world
The rigours of the fiercely competitive modern education system can often result in a blinkered approach to learning, and a disconnect between students and nature. The Goregaon-based Rishi Valmiki Eco School (RVES), a non-profit organisation that works towards providing quality education to children from lower income groups, however, has been trying to make amends. Along with supplementing the existing state board syllabus with nature education, the school also hosts a biennial wildlife festival.
This year the theme of the festival is Secrets of the Sea, where students from grade three to nine will showcase around 40 species of marine life, and discuss topics like mangroves, marine parenting, and the life of turtles through performances involving dances and skits.
Nikita Pimple
Participating students include those who come from the slums of Bhagat Singh Nagar, in Goregaon. The school's emphasis on nature-inspired learning has helped many of them become professional guides, who conduct trails at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. "The students enjoy coming to school on Sunday as well, because they love to learn about nature," says Nikita Pimple, principal of RVES. "That is the kind of interest we hope to generate in children," she adds.
ON February 24, 10 am to 1 pm
AT ASPEE Auditorium, Laxminarayan Mandir Complex Marve Road, Malad West
CALL 9664737308
LOG ON TO insider.in
COST Rs 200
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Get progressive about jazz at this gig in Andheri
Modern jazz instrumental trio from Kolkata The Bodhisattwa Trio is making all the right noises with the release of their new offering, The Grey Album. With the bonus track in their seven-song effort, the band is mapping the evolution of their own sound over the last seven years. The track, called The Cronos, is a part of all their albums, and marks a change from their up-tempo and rock vibe in their debut album to their jazz sound today, complete with intricate drumming details and synth bass that compel you to keep the beat with your body movements.
A lot of this shift has to do with Arunava Shonai Chatterjee (synth and synth bass) replacing the band’s bassist early last year, which nudged Bodhisattwa Ghosh (guitar) and Premjit Dutta (drums) to experiment with their sound. "We always had an inclination towards jazz but started out with progressive rock as we thought we could do justice to that kind of music. Having played as an outfit for so long, and opted for a synth bass, we felt we could go into uncharted territory and could handle difficult sounds and spontaneous creativity," says Ghosh.
Their Mumbai gig will feature all the tracks from their new album, which is divided into two parts — chaos to creation, and creation to chaos. The first three songs comprise story-telling between the members and is built on the idea of the duality of an artist’s mind, explains Ghosh, adding that, "There’s an abstraction as artistes don’t think in one particular direction, and this dual nature can be seen in our art as well." Their music is inspired by life events and observations rather than sounds, says Ghosh.
The second half comments on how civilisation is spiralling out of control into chaos, with songs like The Last Train, which talks about the trains in the holocaust in the Second World War and the Indian Partition, and American Dream, which was composed after the members got talking about American capitalism and how we’re on the brink of nuclear war. "We end with Shame, which speaks about the death of a nation, and our chaotic political scenario," informs Ghosh.
They will also be playing songs from their previous album but in a new avatar.
TIME 9 pm onwards
AT The Little Door, off New Link Road, Andheri West
CALL 9899928776
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Cat Cafe Studio to host Star Wars Quiz in Versova
The Feline Foundation, an NGO founded by Cat Cafe Studio, has some good news for Star Wars fans. It is hosting a Star Wars Quiz Night that gives you and your buddies a chance to win prizes.
You can flaunt your cosplaying skills and meet like-minded people. "It's an evening full of mystery in a galaxy far, far away. Better yet, it's also a fundraiser to support our efforts to provide medical treatment for stray cats in need," said an organiser. Additionally, all participants leave with assured gift coupons. Register now, and may the force be with you.
ON February 23, 6 pm to 8 pm
AT Cat Café Studio, Versova, Andheri West
LOG ON TO catcafestudio.com
COST Rs 199
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Listen to Sid Sriram perform his album Entropy in Mumbai
When we watched Chennai-born American artist Sid Sriram perform his album, Entropy, in the city a few months ago, we didn't know what to expect. We hadn't heard of the artist, and we thought he was going to perform what has been come to be loosely referred to as "fusion". But the show, replete with trippy visuals, was an experience that combined Indian classical and his alternative music aesthetic quite seamlessly. "I think this album is pretty unique in how organically the different influences have all come together. It's a journey filled with energy."
When we ask him what he would say if he had to describe his music to someone who has never heard it before, he explains, "My music is very visual. I'm a huge Jackson Pollock [an American artist known to be of the pioneers of the abstract expressionist movement] fan, and I think the best way to describe my music would be some kind of a sonic parallel to his visual work. It's a cross section where pop/soul, my Carnatic roots and ambient/lo-fi electronic music clash together."
But what is the starting point to create such "fusion"? "The starting point is always an emotional trigger. Once I get that hook, I turn my mind off and channel whatever waves are moving through me. I've learned to get out of my own way and let the universe do its thing."
WHERE: The Habitat, 4th floor, (Hotel Unicontinental), Road Number 3, Khar West
WHEN: February 23, 9 pm
COST: R500
LOG ON TO: insider.in
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
MNS VP thrashes cab driver for misbehaving with female at BKC
In a video that went viral, MNS Yuva shakha Vice President Akhil Chitre was seen thrashing a taxi driver for allegedly misbehaving with a female passenger.
While speaking to mid-day, Chitre said that the female was plying from Wadala to BKC and she later returned to Dharavi. Though the fare was then Rs 118 the taxi driver was forcing her to pay Rs. 200 saying she had to also pay for the 'luggage' she was carrying.
A man who was the other passengers in the taxi stepped out and paid Rs 118 to the driver. However, shockingly the driver drove the cab without allowing the female passenger to get off. A crowd gathered around the taxi but the driver was still adamant on getting Rs 200. The male co-passenger called up Chitre who reached the location and thrashed the driver.
Chitre said, "The male passenger located my number via Facebook and called me. Luckily, I was in BKC at the time and reached the spot within a minute. I then caught hold of the taxi driver and taught him a lesson."
In another video that went viral recently, an auto driver was seen hitting a passenger after an argument over auto fare. After watching the footage, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) swung into action and thrashed the auto driver for his behaviour.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Sharad Pawar: PM Modi keeping mum on farmer suicides, lack of jobs
NCP chief Sharad Pawar has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of deliberately maintaining "silence" on issues like suicide by farmers and unemployment while campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a rally at Bhayander in Thane district of Maharashtra Monday night, Pawar said unemployment has gone up manifold since the NDA government came to power in 2014.
The former Union minister alleged that the Modi government lacked policies for ensuring industrial and agricultural growth. He was canvassing for Anand Paranjape who is the NCP candidate from Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency.
"Due to lack of any industrial policy, unemployment has gone up in Maharashtra which is the most industrialised state in the country. Modi government is deliberately not making any attempts to ensure the growth of industries and agriculture," the NCP chief said.
Claiming that as many as 11,990 farmers have killed themselves since the BJP government assumed office, Pawar said the prime minister avoids talking about this reality as well as other issues like farm distress, water scarcity and price rise at hustings. "Modi also keeps mum on the Rafale deal scam. Under Modi regime, institutions like RBI, CBI, supreme court etc. are being undermined," he alleged.
Last week, Pawar lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is "peeping into the homes of others" as he has no family of his own. Addressisng a poll rally at Partur here Monday, Pawar said Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was released by Pakistan under pressure from the world community and the Modi government had no role in it.
"I have my wife, daughter, son-in-law and nephews. What Modi has?...no one," he said, attacking the PM over his remarks on feud in the Pawar family. "That is why Modi is peeping into the homes of others. How will he (Modi) know how to run a family, he has no one?" the former Union minister said.
The Maratha strongman said Modi stooped low by making comments about his family, but he cannot behave in the same way. At an election rally in Wardha early this month, Modi had said a family war is going on in the NCP. The PM had also claimed that Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar is slowing capturing the 1999-founded party. Pawar said if Modi had a 56-inch chest, as he has claimed, then why his government has failed to ensure the release of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Navy officer, from Pakistani jail.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates
Three MNS activists booked for beating BJP worker in Maharashtra
Three local MNS activists have been booked for allegedly beating a BJP worker in Thane district of Maharashtra over a post forwarded by him on WhatsApp which they found offending, police said on Tuesday.
According to the complaint filed by the BJP activist, Pradeep Rane, on Sunday he received a post on WhatsApp about the MNS along with a picture of its party chief Raj Thackeray, Rabodi police station's senior inspector R M Somavanshi said. Rane forwarded the post to some other people. Later, three MNS workers also saw the post and felt offended following which they thrashed Rane, he said.
The complainant alleged that he apologised and also deleted the post from his mobile phone, but the MNS workers allegedly made a video-recording of the beating incident which they posted on social media and also aired on a local channel, the official said.
Based on his complaint, the police registered a case against the three MNS activists under IPC Sections 452 (house- trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of peace) and 500 (defamation), he said. No arrest has been made so far, he said, adding that a probe was underway into the incident.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
All-women's playground to open in Mumbai soon
A day before the tournament, the engineer came to the ground and said, 'Let's clear this ground so that they can have a kick-about.' I told him that football is not just about kicking a ball, it is about playing a sport. Then the contractor started laughing. His job is not to laugh at us. And what was he trying to get at by laughing? That we can't achieve anything?'" Salma Ansari tells us, about the jibes they encountered before organising the most important event of Parcham, an NGO she co-founded, last Sunday. Ansari's organisation is a Mumbra-based women's collective that works extensively with marginalised communities.
The ground the engineer was referring to is an empty plot adjacent to Mumbra's Maulana Azad Stadium. It is a space that Parcham fought for, to build a safe space for women where they can exercise their right to play. When we arrive at Mumbra's MM Valley, where the ground is located, four members of the NGO are ready to get the ball rolling in their sports shoes and black jerseys. Workers and tractors are busy clearing out the rubble from the space and levelling the ground with laal mitti. "People asked us, 'Yeh kaisa ground hai? Stadium ki tarah nahi hai.' But we knew why it is important for us to play here and once we did, not a single person cared about the state it was in," Muskaan Sayed, 20, tells us.
A day after receiving the petty comments, Ansari and her team organised and inaugurated the first women's-only Fatema Bi Savitri Bai Football Tournament in the playground meant solely for women. It was in 2012 that Parcham first collaborated with the Maharashtra Mahila Parishad, who helped them practise football in a small ground near Shankar Mandir. "But after some time, we noticed that boys would come there, play cricket, throw balls around and just not move. Then we started a campaign to get a separate ground and gathered 900 signatures from women all over Mumbra. We then took it to our MLA, Jitendra Awhad. The processing took about a year before everything was finalised on paper, and we finally got this five-acre space which is listed as a recreational ground in the Development Plan. We applied for a special reservation for girls and women through the Thane Municipal Corporation," Ansari says.
Work is scheduled to be completed by May 1, when the ground's management will be handed over to the NGO. "It is the first ground in India that will be only for women. We want to provide facilities for football and basketball. We will also make arrangements for security, washrooms, changing rooms and a gymnasium," Awhad of NCP shares, though when we ask him about the funds that have been allocated for this project, the MLA doesn't comment.
Parcham has been instrumental in introducing football to Mumbra. There was no trace of the game before 2012. With their own academy comprising 20 members, the NGO has been in talks with the Western India Football Association for training.
The ground, Awhad has said, will be called Fatima Savitri Stadium. But the women have suggested naming it Fatima Bi Savitri Bai Stadium. "That's because Fatima and Savitri can be anyone's name. When you add the 'Bi' and 'Bai', only then do you recall history — which also tells you that these two [eminent educators] were friends. We want to celebrate their friendship," Ansari says, with Sayed adding, "We also want the religious divide to end. This name itself is impactful. If in the past, they could be friends, then why is there so much hatred now? We don't want to just play football; we want to overcome all of this one in one shot."
Although the collective will primarily focus on football, the space is open to women and girls to play and hang out in. Ansari adds, "That being said, general spaces that are open to both men and women should not be ignored, and we will practise there, too. This ground, though, is for those whose parents tell their daughters, 'Tu logon ke saamne jaa kar khelegi? Mat jaa'."
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Election 2019: Eknath Shinde confident of BJP-Sena win in Maharashtra
Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde has expressed confidence that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will win the Lok Sabha polls and asked the coalition workers to work for increasing the victory margin this time. Addressing a meeting of Shiv Sena-BJP workers at Dombivli town in Maharashtra's Thane district on Sunday night, the senior Sena leader also asked them not to be reckless or underestimate the rival candidates. "Our victory is definite this time also.
Our target should be to ensure maximum difference of votes between the winning and losing candidates," said Shinde, who is also the guardian minister of Thane. Lauding Srikant Shinde, the sitting Sena MP from Kalyan seat in Thane, for the work done by him in his constituency in the last five years, the minister claimed the voters would elect him this time also. State minister Ravindra Chavan said voters in Dombivli segment of the constituency earlier supported the BJP and Shiv Sena and this time also they will ensure victory for the alliance candidate.
"This election is an important one and the party workers should ensure that our candidate wins by the maximum victory margin," he said. Srikant Shinde is the saffron alliance's candidate from Kalyan where his main rival is Babaji Patil of the NCP. Lok Sabha elections to total 48 seats in Maharashtra will be held in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29 and the results will be declared on May 23.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Fake currency notes worth Rs 15.76 lakh seized in Thane
Counterfeit notes with a face value of Rs 15.76 lakh were seized from three persons in Mumbra area here in the early hours of Saturday, police said.
Assistance Commissioner of Police Ramesh Dhumal said the police had received a tip-off that some persons were going to arrive in Kismat Colony, carrying counterfeit notes with them.
Jainkumar Chunnulal (41), Mohammad Dilshad (26), both from Uttar Pradesh, and local resident Javed Ahmed Ansari (30) were arrested and a bag of counterfeit notes in Rs 2,000 denomination was seized from their possession, he said.
Jainkumar and Dilshad had allegedly procured the notes from Asansol in West Bengal by paying Rs 3.50 lakh, the ACP said. Police were probing if the contraband had any link with the ongoing election campaign, he said.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Thane Crime: Co-worker arrested for man's murder in Bhiwandi
Thane: With the arrest of a 22-year-old man, Thane district police on Saturday claimed to have solved a murder case within hours. Senior police inspector Kalyan Karpe said that Krishna Gautam (25) was found dead on the premises of a factory where he worked on the morning of March 21.
Gautam worked as a machine operator at this factory, located on Bhiwandi-Vasai highway, Karpe said. There were wounds on the victim's head and the police surmised that he was probably attacked when he was asleep.
The investigators identified a co-worker, Ramukumar Singh, as a prime suspect and arrested him on the same day, the inspector said. A probe revealed that Gautam opposed an illicit relationship between Singh and a woman, and the two often quarrelled over the issue.
On the intervening night of March 20 and 21, Singh allegedly attacked Gautam. Bhoiwada police in Bhiwandi have registered a case of murder and conducting a further probe.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates
Man found dead in flour mill in Bhiwandi
A 25-year-old man was found dead in a flour mill in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Friday. Krishna Gautam used to work as a machine operator in Therma Flour Mills and stayed in one of the galas in the company premises, Bhoiwada police said.
"He was found dead in his gala Thursday morning by friends who had come to invite him to play Holi. His head bore injury marks. We have taken a case of murder against unidentified persons," an official said.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Thane: SSC question papers of two subjects leaked, case registered
Question papers of two subjects of the SSC (Class X) exam conducted by the Maharashtra State Board were found leaked at Bhiwandi in Thane district of Maharashtra on Wednesday, police said. A case was registered at Narpoli police station against an unidentified person in this connection. "As per the complaint filed by a state board official, examination of history and political science subjects was scheduled to take place on Wednesday," senior inspector M B Shinde of Narpoli police station said on Thursday.
"For the exam that was to start at 11 am, students were expected to be in the exam hall by 10.15 am. However, outside an exam centre at Kalher in Bhiwandi, the board official found some girl students checking their mobile phones inside an autorickshaw," he added. When the official checked their phones, he found the question papers of history and political science subjects. "The girls had received these question papers through a messaging application. When the actual question papers were tallied with those on the mobiles, they were found to be the same," Shinde added.
A case was registered under IPC section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and section 72 of the Information Technology Act, police said, adding that nobody has been arrested in this connection so far. According to police, question papers of algebra, geometry and science subjects were also allegedly leaked in Bhiwandi earlier. The state board's secondary school certificate (SSC) exam began on March 1.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Mumbai: Teens rescued by police after being lost in the jungle
A group of 22 people from Mumbai and Thane district went for a picnic at Tandulwadi Fort in Palghar district where they lost their way out of the jungle in the dark. They called up the police control for help and the local Safale police of Palghar district rushed to their rescue and escorted them out safely.
According to the Safale police sources, "A group of 22 people from Mumbai and Thane district visited Tandulwadi Fort situated in Safale Palghar district for a trek on Saturday where they decided to walk through the jungle around 7:30 pm but after sunset, they lost their way out of the jungle.
Fearing of being lost, they contacted the police control for help and senior inspector Sandeep Sanap from Safale police station despatched a team of officers to their rescue. Constable SU Solkhe, SB Bhavar, NL Dhongde reached the spot at around 9 pm and rescued the group. Their respective parents were contacted after which they were returned home safely," said Hemant Katkar PRO of Palghar district police.
Also Read: Six rescued, one missing as tugboat capsizes off Mumbai
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Mumbai Crime: Woman clerk booked for Rs 6 lakh fraud at school in Thane
A 32-year-old woman clerk of a school in Thane district of Maharashtra has been booked for allegedly misappropriating students' fee to the tune of nearly Rs 6 lakh, police said on Tuesday. According to a complaint filed by the private school's management, the accused, a resident of Dombivli town, allegedly deleted receipts from the institution's accounting software of fees collected by her from 61 students between January and December 2018, a police spokesperson said.
Based on the complaint, the police on Monday booked the accused under IPC Sections 408 (criminal breach of trust), 420, (cheating) and 468 (forgery), the official said. No arrest was made so far, the police said, adding that a probe was underway in the case.
In another incident, a 22-year-old man was arrested from Jharkhand for allegedly cheating an 'Indian Idol' participant of Rs 1.7 lakh on the pretext of debit card verification by posing as a bank executive, police said.
The accused, Rajkumar Jaynarayan Mandal, was arrested by the Sion police with the help of Cyber Cell of the Mumbai police, an official said. Mandal had phoned Avanti Patel (23), who participated in the singing reality show 'Indian Idol' last year, and her sister posing as an executive of a public sector bank, he said.
While talking to them, the accused obtained their bank details and debit card passwords. He then fraudulently withdrew Rs 1.7 lakh from Patel's and her sister's accounts and transferred the money to other bank accounts and Paytm, a digital wallet, he said.
The incident came to light when the singer realised that she has been cheated and lodged a complaint with the Sion police, the official said. During the investigation, the police traced the phone call to Jharkhand and also got details of the accounts in which the siphoned off money was deposited, he said. A police team went to Jharkhand and apprehended the accused from there, he said.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Harassed by in-laws for male child and dowry, woman ends life
A 25-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide following harassment by her husband and in-laws for dowry and giving birth to two daughters, police said on Thursday. Surekha Desale got married to Sharad Desale, a resident of Khinavali village in Sahapur taluka, in May 2016.
She gave birth to a daughter in 2017 and another girl in January this year, a police official said. Since the marriage, her in-laws allegedly harassed her for dowry and later for giving birth to two daughters, while they desired a male child, he said.
The woman had apparently informed her parents about the alleged harassment, the official said. Last Saturday, her in-laws called up her parents saying she was missing. Later that night, her body was found floating in a village well, he said.
Based on a complaint by her brother, the police on Wednesday booked her husband, father-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law under IPC Sections 304-B, (dowry death) 306 (abetment of suicide), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 498-A (cruelty) and 506 (criminal intimidation), he said. No arrest was made so far, he said, adding that a probe was underway in the case.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Bid to withdraw Rs 26 crore from TMC by forged signatures foiled
Unidentified persons allegedly tried to withdraw nearly Rs 26 crore through cheques by forging signatures of senior civic and health officials from Thane district in Maharashtra, police said on Sunday. However, their attempts were foiled by alert bank officials, a police spokesperson said.
Two banks informed the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) that some unidentified persons came to their branches in Pune and Chennai in the last few days carrying cheques worth around Rs 26 crore and bearing signatures of civic commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal and health officer R T Kendre, the official said. They informed the TMC that these persons wanted to deposit the cheques in favour of some private organisations.
On cross-checking with the TMC about such high-value cheques, the banks got to know that those were not issued by the civic body, she said. Later, during verification, the cheques were found to be carrying forged signatures and stamps of the senior civic and health officials, she said.
Based on a complaint by the civic body, an offence was registered on Saturday against unidentified persons under various Indian Penal Code sections for forgery and cheating, the police spokesperson said. No arrest was made so far, she said, adding that a probe was underway in the matter.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
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
Body of man found in creek in Maharashtra
The body of a man has been found in a creek in Thane city of Maharashtra, police said on Sunday.
A local resident spotted the body in a plastic bag floating in the creek in Kalher area on Saturday evening and alerted the police, an official at Narpoli police station said.
The body was later fished out and sent for postmortem, he said. Police suspect the man, aged around 30 to 40 years, was killed and the body later dumped in the water body, the official said.
A case under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) was registered and a manhunt was on for the killer, he added.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
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
Mumbai's heart beats for kid with ailing liver; collects Rs 16.5 lakh
Four-year-old Mayank Patil, who underwent a liver transplant at Jupiter Hospital, Thane, was discharged on Thursday, after over a thousand donors from across India and overseas helped his family by contributing through crowd-funding platforms. Nearly R16.5 lakh was raised overnight through social media, after mid-day's story on Wednesday, 'Hellish health turn for Nashik family'.
The management of Jupiter Hospital had also extended support to the family. They waived off half the billing amount and stood by their quotation given to Mayank's father at the time of the transplant, Rs 15 lakh. The hospital was paid around Rs 18.45 lakh (Rs 16.50 collected from milaap, Rs 1.45 lakh from trusts and charitable institutions, and Rs 1 lakh from the Chief Minister's Fund).
"Unfortunately, in Mayank's case, his stay and treatment in the hospital prolonged due to certain complications. In all cases of post-operative complications in pediatric transplant patients, Jupiter Hospital, as a policy, waives off the amount incurred in the bill beyond the pre-fixed package cost. In an effort to relieve the family from any stress related to money, our team also raised a substantial amount through various foundations and trusts that the hospital was following up with," said the hospital spokesperson.
Mayank will have to go to Jupiter Hospital for regular check-ups. Pic/Sameer Markande
"We are grateful to the Good Samaritans who have generously donated and helped us in getting back the smile on the little child's face. The additional funds that have been collected through these funds, will be used for the medicines and follow-ups once Mayank goes home," added the hospital spokesperson.
Donations overnight
mid-day readers from Mumbai and overseas had contacted Harish Patil, Mayank's father, who directed them to the milaap portal (a crowd-funding platform), which had started an online campaign. The portal collected almost Rs 16.50 lakh overnight, donated by 1,142 Good Samaritans from India and overseas for Mayank. Anoj Viswanathan, president and co-founder milaap said, "The kindness of strangers was the miracle that saved Mayank's life. The entire amount of nearly R16.50 lakh was raised overnight through social media. It is extremely heartening how the world stepped forward to help the Patils."
Asked if people still can donate for Mayank, the portal spokesperson replied in the negative, stating, "Since we have already collected more than the required funds, the page will be paused for any further donations." Another crowd-funding portal, Ketto, collected R15,175 contributed by eight donors, which will be given to the parents soon. "This is one of the most amazing examples of how the community nowadays steps up to help families with financial problems," said Varun Sheth, CEO Ketto. Some Good Samaritans even visited Jupiter Hospital to give financial support to Harish. Rishi Gangoli, senior manager at ESPN, and his colleagues, contributed Rs 30,000, a cheque for which was handed to Harish.
Doctor overwhelmed, too
Dr Gaurav Chaubal, Chief Liver Transplant Surgeon at Jupiter Hospital said, "We have asked Mayank's parents to get him to hospital for a regular follow-up at least for next one month and have advised them to give him only home cooked food. I am also overwhelmed to see such an amazing number of people come forward overnight to help the cause."
'Every paisa for Mayank'
Both Harish, 35, and Jyoti, 29, Mayank's parents, are overwhelmed with the financial support that they received. "We had only heard that Mumbaikars have a heart that cares. We are grateful to every donor who opened his/her heart for my Mayank. We will always be indebted to them," said an emotional Harish.
Harish also thanked this newspaper for highlighting Mayank's case. When it was suggested that he could get Jyoti's reconstructive surgery performed through these funds, Harish responded firmly saying, "This money has come from people who have read about my son's health condition. I will ensure that every paisa is only used for his treatment. I will work hard and raise funds for my wife's surgery." He has rented a place in Ulhasnagar at Rs 3,500 a month, to take Mayank to the hospital for regular check ups.
1,142
No. of donors who came forward to help Mayank
Rs 18.45 lakh
Entire amount donated by Good Samaritans, trusts, charitable institutions and the CM's fund
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Maha deputy engineer gets 16 months jail sentence for accepting bribe
A Maharashtra government official was Thursday sentenced to 16 months rigorous imprisonment by a court in the neighbouring Raigad district for accepting a bribe.
Raigad Additional District Judge BC Kamble convicted Ashik Bharti, a deputy engineer with the Kharbhoomi Sarvekshan and Anveshan Department of Pen, under the Prevention of Corruption Act and fined him Rs 5,000, said a senior Anti-Corruption Bureau official.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (ACB) Mahesh Patil said Bharti had demanded Rs 5 lakh from a contractor to get his bills cleared. The contractor approached the ACB following which a trap was laid on November 6, 2015, and Bharti was nabbed while accepting Rs 1 lakh, Patil said.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
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
Man crushed to death in stone crusher machine in Palghar
A 45-year-old man working at a stone crushing site in Boisar was allegedly crushed to death in a machine at Gundale village of Palghar district on Monday. The stone crusher owner has been booked in link with this case.
According to the police, the deceased identified as Sanjay Ganeshkar was cleaning the stone crusher machine when his co-worker Harishankar suddenly switched it on due to which Sanjay fell into the conveyor and was crushed to death.
"His body parts were recovered from the machine. James Colaco, the owner of the stone crusher machine and worker Harishankar Umbarsada have been booked under IPC section 304 A (causing death by negligence) and further investigation is underway," said a police official from Boisar police station.
Also Read: Woman riding pillion crushed under wheels of BEST bus in Malad
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
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
Thane Crime: Man gets life for murdering 16-year-old girl
The Thane sessions court, on Wednesday, convicted a murderer and sentenced him to life imprisonment for killing a 16-year-old girl who had refused to marry him.
The complainant's lawyer Sushma Mishra said, "Her father and our team are very happy with the conviction. The convict, Zahir Sayyed, has also got an additional 10 years for trying to kill the girl's father."
On November 3, 2014, Zahir, a Nashik resident, barged into the house of the minor, after her parents rejected his proposal of marriage, and stabbed her. When her father tried to stop him, he attacked him with the same knife.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Four arrested for torching chemical unit in Maharashtra
Four people have been arrested for allegedly setting ablaze a chemical factory in Thane district of Maharashtra, police said on Thursday. According to assistant police inspector Pramod Badak, some unidentified persons barged into the factory located in Kashimira area on February 10 and set it ablaze. While there was no casualty, the factory suffered damage in the incident, he said.
The local crime branch investigated the case and found that the factory owner had failed to pay dues worth Rs 8 crore to a financier. The financier, in a bid to settle scores with the factory owner, allegedly gave a contract to some persons to destroy the chemical unit, Badak said.
While probing the case, the police on Tuesday arrested four people - Kamlesh Parekh (41), Rahul Munnalal Satpute (24), Akshay Chavan (21) and Lucky Raj Rajput (21) - for torching the factory, he said.
The financier and another key accused were yet to be nabbed, the official said. The accused were booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 435, 436 (both pertaining to mischief by fire or explosive substance with an intent to cause damage), 452 (house-trespass) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy), he added.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
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
Event in Thane to see participation from differently-abled ladies
A woman's spirit is one of ability, perseverance, and courage no matter the situation or circumstance. This women's Day Viviana Mall in association with Nina Foundation is celebrating these abilities and perseverance of differently-abled women. The abilities of Women on wheelchairs.
A stand - up comedy act, a wheelchair acrobatic performance and a fashion show all by women on wheelchairs to celebrate the many abilities these women have that makes them just like us. In addition, there will be a special talk by Virali Modi and Dr. Ketna Mehta on the special occasion of Women's Day.
The event will kickstart a campaign to provide job opportunities and the required skills training to equip them with opportunities for the future by inviting organisations and institutes to make provision for these women!
When: March 7, 2019 at 5.30 pm onwards
Where: Viviana Mall, Thane
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Cops silence noisy bikers in Thane
Thane rural district's Navghar police are finally making the right noises following repeated complaints against noisy bikers by locals. The police have begun a heavy crackdown against bikers using modified silencers that create much noise, contributing to the already terrible noise pollution levels in the city.
The police are not just seizing such bikes but also destroying the modified silencers in front of their owners. More than 55 cases have been registered so far in this regard and more than 35 silencers have been destroyed in the last couple of weeks.
People living in Bhayander East have been forced to endure a cacophony of noises that the modified silencers or bikes with no silencers at all make. Also, patients admitted to nearby hospitals had complained to the local police on multiple occasions but no concrete action was taken so far.
Police fool violators
Action initiated against such bikers in the past has posed quite some challenge to the police who claim that if these bikers are followed, most of them speed away without a thought for their own lives or that of others. In such a situation, it is difficult to catch hold of them, said an officer of the Navghar police station. "We thus adopted a new method. We have formed a special team, members of which dress up as different people - beggars and godmen - and patrol areas around traffic signals to nab such bikers. The idea has worked so far," said PSI Vijay Takke from Navghar police station.
Locals have welcomed the move. "It is a nightmare for us as these bikes zip past our houses almost every day and it becomes extremely disturbing, more so for children and elderly people," said a local who had filed many complaints against errant bikers in the past. "The police action has now reduced the number of noisy bikers but the drive must not stop," he added.
55
No. of cases against errant bikers registered so far
35
No. of modified bike silencers destroyed so far
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Two new flyovers for easy commute between Mumbai and Thane
Motorists who travel from Mumbai to Thane are in for good news as the traffic of Mumbai city is going to unclog. With these bridges, motorists are likely to face fewer traffic problems in the city.
In order to beat the slow-moving traffic on Eastern Expressway, commuters can use the internal flyovers constructed over LBS Marg near Castle Mill and MG Road at Naupada.
Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray inaugurated the two bridges on Sunday which was built by MMRDA under intercity flyover project plan.
The time taken to exit the city using the new flyovers will be lesser as compared to the existing one, which is currently over clogged because of the movement of heavy vehicles and ongoing Metro and Kopri bridge widening work.
Noise and view barriers have been installed on the two newly inaugurated bridges.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
17-year-old girl kidnaps minor boy for ransom, arrested
A 17-year-old girl was arrested by the Thane police for allegedly kidnapping a minor boy and asking for a ransom of Rs 6 lakh. According to the 11-year-old boy's mother, who works as a tailor, her son went to his tuition classes on Saturday afternoon but did not return.
Later in the evening, the mother of the minor boy received a call from an unidentified person who demanding Rs 6 lakh if she wanted her son back, Shanti Nagar police station's senior inspector Mamta D'Souza said. The female caller threatened the mother that the boy would be killed if she approached the police, and asked her to bring the money in a bag and keep it on a bike near Shivaji Chowk in Bhiwandi town, the police officer said.
When the boy's mother rushed to inform her husband, who works at jewelry shop about the alleged kidnapping of her son, she found her son alone and crying near the shop on Quarter Gate road, D'Souza said.
The boy told his mother that a female, whom he referred to as "aunty", allegedly took him away while he was returning from his tuition classes and asked inquired about his father's workplace. He said that as he was walking along with the female aunty, he managed to give her the slip and came running to his father's shop, she said.
In a bid to find the culprit, the boy's mother informed Shanti Nagar police station about the incident and as per their instructions, she kept a bag on the bike, as specified by the kidnapper. When a 'burqa'-clad lady came to the spot to pick the bag, the police nabbed her the kidnapper, D'Souza said.
The arrested accused, who is a minor, told the police she used to go to the boy's mother to get her clothes stitched and that she kidnapped the minor boy for money, the official said. She was booked under Indian Penal Code Section 364-A (kidnapping for ransom) and sent to a remand home, D'Souza added.
With inputs from PTI
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Mumbra girl missing since 2016, finally tracked through Tik Tok app
Thane: A girl who had gone missing in 2016 from Mumbra was found in Goregaon through a post on social media site Tik Tok. Police took her into custody and learned that the girl went on her own accord.
According to Mirror Now, a woman on November 6, 2016, registered a complaint at the Mumbra police station that her daughter had been abducted. Acting on the complaint, police began searching for her through various means but were unsuccessful. The case was later transferred to the immoral trafficking prevention cell on May 11, 2018. Assistant Sub-Inspector Raju Mahale was appointed to investigate the case.
During the investigation, Police learned that the kidnapped girl has been using Tik Tok and shared it on social media. Police began tracking the girl on social media and asked her to make a video call. After confirming the identity, the police asked the girl to meet her sister under a false pretext of her mother being ill. She was then taken into custody and cops began interrogating her.
During the interrogation, the girl revealed that she left home on her own accord and not under pressure or threat from anyone. As a result, the kidnapping charge was dissolved. She also revealed that after running away from Mumbra, she was living in Goregaon for ten days and later started a catering business in Surat for 3-4 months. Later, she shifted to Vasai for few months. Since then, she has been living in Nalasopara.
On further investigation, it was revealed that the girl had made a fake account under the name of Abhay Shetty and befriended her sister and her husband after watching a video of them on Tik Tok ten days ago. The sister and her husband had uploaded a video of Bhojpuri song on a Tik-Tok mobile app. The girl began to chat with her sister and her husband and ask information about the family.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates
The article has been sourced from a third-party source and Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, and data of the text. All information provided in this article is for informational purposes only.
Five booked for raping a woman during thirteen day captivity in Palghar
Five persons have been booked in Maharashtra's Palghar district for kidnapping a newly married woman, holding her captive for almost two weeks and repeatedly raping her, police said on Monday.
An official said the 21-year-old victim's ordeal began on February 6 when a man posing as a policeman came to her house in Pragati Nagar in Nalasopara and asked her to accompany him to the police station. "The fake policeman told the victim that her husband had been arrested and she should come to the police station with some documents," he said. She was first taken in an accused's autorickshaw to Malad in Mumbai and held captive for eight days and then to Mira Road where she was locked up in an under-construction building till February 18, the official said.
"She was raped by two of the accused at both places. Three others, including a woman, abetted the crime. The victim was released from captivity on February 18," he said. The woman filed a complaint on February 23 and the five were booked on Sunday under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for rape and criminal intimidation, the official said. He said no arrests had been made so far and further probe was underway.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
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