A 75-year-old Thane resident suffered a heart attack during the CJP protest.
Shivaji Park residents sought action against organisers following Gopalakrishna Subbaiya Pillai’s death.
Residents demanded a murder charge against CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke.
Residents of Mumbai’s Shivaji Park have demanded murder charges against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and other protest organisers following the death of a 75-year-old man during the October 2 demonstration, ANI reported.
Gopalakrishna Subbaiya Pillai, a Thane resident, suffered a heart attack at the protest and later died. Police are examining the circumstances of his death alongside residents’ allegations about how the gathering was organised.
Local residents said they had asked authorities to withhold permission for the demonstration before it took place. Santosh Pavaskar, who lives near Shivaji Park, alleged that organisers proceeded without formal permission.
“We had submitted a representation two days ago stating that permission should not be granted to them (CJP). Even without the permission being formally issued, they forcibly came, set up a platform, and carried out their activities,” he said.
Describing Shivaji Park as a “silent zone”, Pavaskar demanded that a case be registered against Dipke and his associates. He said police were examining which legal provisions could apply.
“During their rally, an elderly person—75 years old—passed away. Out of humanity, local residents went to help, but the elderly person died. Who is responsible for that?” Pavaskar said.
Another resident said locals had approached Shivaji Park Police Station and other government authorities three to four days before the protest to oppose permission for the event.
“We had been warning all along that such an incident could happen to local residents too—after all, the person who passed away was a human being. Today, Dipke—who bears accountability for this—cannot simply evade responsibility; he cannot run away from this,” the resident said.
The resident called for strict action against Dipke and demanded that the administration charge him with murder. Police are examining the allegations; no finding establishing the organisers’ responsibility for Pillai’s death was cited in the report.
