Mumbai Musings

Not a Brief Encounter

Even as Ishrat Jahan’s fake encounter case hopes to gather momentum, in Mumbai encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma was acquitted in the famous Lakhan Bhaiya fake encounter case. Ironically, 13 other policemen and seven other persons have been found guilty. The prosecutor even asked for death penalty for the convicted cops. Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya, allegedly an aide of gangster Chhota Rajan, was reportedly picked up from Navi Mumbai and killed in cold blood near Versova, a western suburb. The trial itself was peppered with ups and downs including mysterious disappearance and death of an eye witness. It remains to be seen why Sharma, who allegedly led the team and has over a 100 encounters to his name, has been acquitted and those who perhaps followed have been found guilty. The prosecutor has sought death penalty calling it a “rarest of rare” case. There may have been encounters galore, but, yes, conviction of cops remains, rare, very very rare.

Bookie Arrested

Just when we thought fixing and betting was all but forgotten, Mumbai police have arrested a well-known bookie, Shobhan Mehta alias Kalachowkie. While arrests of Gurunath Meiyappan and Vindoo Darasingh created much buzz, Mehta’s arrest is said to be important as he allegedly placed bets of huge amounts during the recently concluded IPL season 6. Whether his links to cricketers, or Pakistani bookies is proven or not will decide the gravity of betting or fixing charges.

Save the Saviours

After a doctor at the Sion hospital succumbed to drug resistant Tuberculosis (TB), the civic body finally planned some preventive measures for medical staff susceptible to infection at hospitals. Dr Samidha Khandare succumbed to multiple drug resistant TB, a strain that makes a patient resistant to two or more medicines, last week. Mayor Sunil Prabhu acknowledged that MDR TB was on the rise and he announced measures such as quarterly check-up for resident doctors and increase in subsidised protein-rich diet for the staff. Medical professionals, union of resident doctors and Observer Research Foundation have come together and declared July 8 to July 14 a commemoration week for 24-year-old Samidha.

Sabzi by Sarkar 

Most vegetable prices touched Rs. 80 per kilo and the complaints of aam addmi (not the party, but the real you and me types, the Mango People as Robert Vadra called them) were getting louder, and the state government has therefore been forced to open centres for subsidised and/or cheaper vegetables. They have plans to open a whopping 100 temporary centres for the state and ten are scheduled to start sale today, in Mumbai. They have tied up with the good old cooperative stores chain such as Apna Bazar and Sahakar Bazar. This has also been done by parties such as Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on a smaller scale to reach out to people. How about actually fixing problems of the middle-man and wastage due to lack of cold storage? Anyway, here's to the aloos and tamatars while they last at these stores.

Fatal Roads

Last week a biker, not an adrenalin pumping racer but a regular family guy, died after his motorcycle got stuck in a pot-hole. Despite the civic body making umpteen claims about monsoon preparedness and launching websites for registering pothole complaints with mobile photos, more than a thousand such spots remain unattended. And an accident like this one shows how dangerous those pockmarked roads can be on a rainy day. And no one is responsible for one life lost, one child orphaned, one wife widowed. 

A for Apple, B for British Council

As a part of a joint collaboration programme, the British Council will train more than 20,000 teachers from different corporation schools in Mumbai. There is much said about the deteriorating quality of teaching in the civic schools and falling numbers of students. In fact many citizens, who may not be able to afford private education for their children, take loans to send them to better schools. This project may just be the silver lining they are looking for.

Superhero’s Surgery 

Our own super hero and Greek god rolled into one, Hrithik Roshan, braved a health scare last week. The hospital statement said he “was admitted at Hinduja Healthcare Surgical, Khar on 6th July 2013 with chief complaints of head ache. He had a history of sudden onset of headache after impact on his head during an action sequence of a film that he was shooting for 2 months back. Post-operatively Mr. HrithikRoshan’s headache is better with normal hand function. He met his family and friends post the surgery. Hrithik is advised 3 more days in the hospital post which he can gradually get to his normal lifestyle and shooting schedules post 4 weeks.” Who said being a super star was a bed of roses? Hope he recovers soon and wows his fans with Krrish 3. 

Late Night Bus

And finally someone has woken up to the conditions of unsung heroes of our Bollywood and television industry. Abhishek Bachchan and Aditya Thackeray (the age-old Sarkar connections still at work?) flagged off a new bus service from Dadar to Goregaon Film City, which will ply till late night so that the technicians, not the most well-paid workers, can find their way back from back of the beyond film city to central Mumbai. 

Fasting, Feasting 

It is that time of the year again. The holy month of Ramzan has begun and Bohri Muslims have started the fast. The rest will start fasting, depending on moon sighting, this week. And the iconic Mohammad Ali Road and Bhendi Bazar will suddenly come alive for Muslims and non-Muslims all alike. Endless trips for Kababs and Phirnis are in order. Not to forget, Bhendi Bazar is undergoing redevelopment under the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust and more than 100 buildings have been acquired. One is not sure whether all these traditional shops and stalls will survive once the redevelopment is underway. So make sure you don’t miss your share of delicacies this holy month. Slurrp.