Mumbai demands stringent sexual harassment laws

After the shocking deaths of Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandes, Mumbaikars are demanding laws that deal with sexual harassment should be made more stringent. Several campaigns have sprung up in and around the Maharashtra capital in support of the demand.

"Two sections, section 354 and section 509 deal with sexual harassment of the IPC. They are very weak. We have requested them to make both the sections non-bailable," said Reuben Mascarenhas, Coordinator, Yuva Satta.

Section 354 which deals with molestation cases and section 509 which is for sexual harassment cases are both bailable offences in Maharashtra; unlike Delhi, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, where these sections are non-bailable.

The more worrying part for the state of Maharashtra is that the conviction rate in such cases is very poor. Maharashtra's conviction rate in such cases in 2010 was just 5 % in sexual harassment cases and a mere 8.5 % in matters of molestation. These are way below the national averages.

The NGOs, fighting for the cause, are seeking the support of all 36 MLAs in the city. They aim to collect 1 lakh signatures and then demand the government to toughen the laws.

When Baba Siddiqui, a MLA in Mumbai, was asked if he feels scared when his daughter is out late at night, he replied, "Frankly speaking that fear in Mumbai was never there. But such an incident creates a mental block and what Reuben said that we need stringent laws if it is there in other states, I fully agree with him that we should strengthen our law. That's why we are sending this petition."

Keenan and Reuben were attacked by a bunch of goons outside a popular eatery in Amboli on October 20 and died of multiple stab injuries after they tried to fight away eve-teasers. The two tried to shield their female friends from a group of eve-teasers after they came out following dinner at the eatery in Andheri (West). The eve-teasers retreated, only to return with over a dozen others and launch a brutal assault on Keenan and Reuben.

Dawood wants to be buried in Mumbai

After unleashing a reign of terror through his international crime syndicate and evading justice for decades, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is now realising his Indian roots.

As per a report, Dawood is critically ill – he had two massive heart attacks in the past two years - feels that his days are numbered; as a result, the 56-year old Karachi-based don’s health condition is being monitored 24X7 by a team of doctors and his family members.

However, as per the report, Dawood is already busy planning his end. He has instructed his men to find a suitable place for his burial in Mumbai or in his native town Khed in Ratnagiri district, close to the western metropolis.

Mumbai Crime Branch is also aware of the don’s desire to be buried in India. Himanshu Rai, chief of the Crime Branch, has been quoted as saying: “We have received credible inputs regarding this.”

Incidentally, Dawood had advanced the date of his younger daughter's wedding a year ago after the second heart attack. While his elder daughter is married to former Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad's son; his son, the youngest of the three, married the daughter of a UK-based businessman sometime back.

Dawood is believed to be living under ISI's protection in an upscale neighbourhood of Karachi. He escaped to Pakistan’s port city after engineering the Mumbai serial blasts in 1993 that killed over 250 innocents.

He is amongst the most wanted men in India and was branded a global terrorist by the US post 9/11. The dreaded don is also suspected to have provided logistical support to the 26/11 Mumbai attackers.

Although, Delhi has many times demanded that he be extradited but the Islamabad has held on to its view that he doesn’t live in Pakistan.

Mumbai: New car catches fire on expressway

A three-month old Maruti Swift Dzire caught fire on Mumbai's Vikhroli's expressway today. 

The engine got heated and as soon as the driver stepped out the car went up in flames and was gutted almost immediately.

The driver was travelling from Aurangabad to Mumbai.

Unattended bags create security scare at Mumbai airport

Two incidents of unattended bags lying at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport created a security scare here and sent officials working overtime.

Both incidents took place Friday. In the first instance, an unattended ladies bag was spotted lying at the car pick-up point of Terminal 1B of the airport around 7.15 p.m.

Immediately the Bomb Disposal Squad was alerted which rushed to the spot and checked the bag.

It was declared safe after about an hour, a official said.

Barely two hours later, around 10.30 pm, another unattended kid's bag was found in the vicinity.

After the Bomb Disposal Squad checked it too and found nothing dangerous, an all-clear signal was given around 11.15 pm.

'We have both the unidentified bags. They will be returned to the claimants after they provide proper identification,' the official told IANS Saturday morning.

Vital installations in and around Mumbai have been thrown under a tight security blanket following the blast outside Delhi High Court Wednesday, which left 13 dead and around 90 injured.

Besides, security agencies across the state have geared up for the immersion ceremonies of lakhs of Lord Ganapati idols at the end of the 11-day Ganeshotsav festival Sunday.

Rains cripple train services in Mumbai

Train services on the Central and Harbour line were disrupted in the city on Monday following heavy rains in the metropolis last night.

Traffic was affected due to water logging in the tracks in several low-lying areas in the city inconveniencing daily commuters and office goers.
Water logging was reported from several places including Sion and Kurla paralysing suburban services between Thane and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) on the Central line.

On Harbour line traffic between Panvel and CST stations was crippled due to inundated rail tracks in Chunabhatti, Chembur and Mankhurd stations. However, trains on the Western line were running late by 15-20 minutes.

"Due to heavy downpour resulting in waterlogging at several stations on Central and Harbour line, train services have been stopped for sometime. We are waiting for the water to recede to resume services," AK Singh, Central Railway PRO said.

Vehicular traffic was also affected due to water-logging in areas like suburban Parel, Hindmata, Dadar, Milan subway Andheri, Santacruz, Kurla, Vikhroli, Ghatkopar and Vile Parle.