Protests in Ambernath East after man dies of assault, corporator office vandalised
Tension gripped the Palegaon area of Ambernath East in Thane district on Wednesday after a 21-year-old man died following an assault over an alleged love affair, triggering protests and the vandalism of a local corporator's office.
The victim, identified as Om Khore, succumbed to his injuries at Mumbai's KEM Hospital on Wednesday. He had been severely beaten by a group of individuals on June 23.
According to the police, Khore was allegedly attacked because the uncle of a young woman suspected him of having a romantic relationship with his niece. The Shivajinagar police in Ambernath originally registered a case against three persons and arrested two of them.
However, as news of Khore's death spread on Wednesday, his family members, relatives, and hundreds of angry local residents marched towards the police station. En route, some of the protesters pelted stones and vandalised the office of a local corporator of a national party in Palegaon.
The relatives accused the corporator of shielding the accused individuals and helping them evade police action. The corporator has denied the allegations of involvement or aiding the culprits, and has demanded strict police action against those who attacked her office.
Upon reaching the police station, Khore's family members refused to claim or move the youth's body until all individuals involved in the assault were arrested. The victim's relatives stated they had initially provided the police with seven names, but action had only been taken against five.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Gore stated that five accused individuals have been taken into custody. The police identified the arrested suspects as Sandip Gawli, Ravi Parmar, Nayan Madvi, Sachin Patil, and Raj Desekar.
Officials stated that additional police personnel have been deployed in the Palegaon area to maintain law and order, and efforts are underway to track down the remaining accused individuals. The police investigation into the matter is ongoing.
