Mumbai Sessions Court Sentences 6 Men To 5 Years Of Imprisonment For Attempted Murder Over Kurla Chawl Ownership Dispute

Mumbai: A sessions court on Friday sentenced six men to five years of imprisonment for attempting to murder a resident of their area over a dispute related to the ownership of Kurla chawl. The victim, Dindayal Rai, sustained severe damage to his eyes in the attack.

Some of the convicts have been identified as Yogesh Pawar, Sudhir Salunkhe, Yogesh Bagade, Hrishikesh Salunke and Krishna Salunke. Both the parties have filed civil disputes regarding the ownership of Kamlabai chawl, Kurla West, which are pending. The court accepted the prosecution’s argument that animosity between the two groups was the crime motive.

Sudhir contended that he was a co-owner, claiming rights based on a Will executed by the original owner, Kamlabai, in his favour. Rai, with the help of other tenants, was attempting to grab the property and had even established Dindayal Ram resident society, Sudhir added.

According to the prosecution, on January 18, 2015, Rai was allegedly assaulted by the group, while he and his friends were having tea at a stall. In his statement, he claimed that the accused attacked him with a sharp weapon and one of them struck his face with a paver block, causing severe head injury that damaged his eye. They also threatened bystanders to provide help, said Rai.

Public prosecutor Anand Sukhdev examined seven witnesses, including Rai and two eyewitnesses.