MUMBAI: Residents of Mumbai’s Shivaji Park have demanded action against organisers of a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest after a 75-year-old man died during the demonstration on October 2, news agency ANI reported.
Gopalakrishna Subbaiya Pillai, a resident of Thane, suffered a heart attack during the protest at Shivaji Park and later died. Police are examining the circumstances surrounding his death and the allegations raised by local residents.
Residents say they had warned authorities
Shivaji Park resident Santosh Pavaskar alleged that local residents had approached the authorities days before the protest and requested that permission not be granted for the gathering.
"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," Pavaskar said.
Pavaskar alleged that Shivaji Park is a "silent zone" and said the organisers should be held accountable for holding the protest at the location.
"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?" he said.
Pavaskar further demanded that a case be registered against CJP leader Abhijit Dipke and his associates. Police, he said, were examining the legal provisions applicable in the matter.
Another Shivaji Park resident alleged that locals had approached the Shivaji Park Police Station and other government authorities three to four days before the protest, urging them not to grant permission for the demonstration.
"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, Abhijit Dipke—who bears accountability for this—cannot simply evade responsibility; he cannot run away from this," the resident said.
The resident demanded strict action against Dipke and called for the local administration to charge him with murder.
Police examining circumstances of death
Pillai, 75, died after suffering a heart attack during the CJP protest at Shivaji Park on October 2.
Police are examining the circumstances surrounding his death, as well as the allegations made by residents over the organisation of the protest.
The residents' demands come amid questions over the circumstances in which the demonstration was held and whether the organisers can be held legally responsible for the death.
