OUR PROTECTORS ARE THE ONES WE FEAR THE MOST AS WE HAVE RECEIVED THREATS FROM THEM - SUSWANI COMPLEX RESIDENT, KONDHWA

Residents of the Suswani complex situated in Kondhwa Claimed that cops have encroached on their land in order to construct a parking lot. The Police have allegedly fenced the land opposite the complex to create parking space for the police. "The residents claim that our protectors are the ones we fear the most as we had received threats when we tried to resolve the dispute".

There are 19 shops and 41 flats on the premises. Two-wheelers block the shops of the building. Due to the blockade, the shopkeepers had to down their shutters, citing that there is no space for customers to enter their shops. There is no space for the truck to transfer goods to the shops, and even if they try to unload goods from the truck, the traffic department catches them. They spend a whole chunk of time in the police station showing documents. 

In another case, Bhau Patne, a garage owner, approached the Pune Municipal corporation after struggling to bring his customer's vehicles as the fence completely blocks his shop. 

The residents further complained that the police park their police Jeeps and other big vehicles outside the entrance gate of the complex, making it difficult for the residents to enter and leave their society. 

Hefaz Sayed, the society chairman, said that they submitted a letter of illegal encroachment to the PMC and Kondhwa police; however, no response was availed. The PMC building development department said they have requested to submit necessary documents to prove that the land belongs to the society. Namrata Patil, DCP Zone V, said that residents had been illegally encroaching the land. They have no proof that the land belongs to society. 

Author: Papiha Ghoshal