A builder in Batrukar Pada in Kalyan has been asked to pay a whopping Rs 25001 in vargani. He fears his office would be ransacked if he doesn't pay.

An overpowering sense of fear, not religious sentiments, it seems, is forcing residents of suburban Mumbai to bow to the demands of Ganpati mandals this season. Methods of coercion range from plain threats, to disconnection of telephone lines, to plastering of walls with obscene graffiti. While coercion is not new to Ganpati festivities, nor is the phenomenon restricted to the suburbs,what's worrying police is the possibility of these mandals being used by anti-social elements as fronts for `extorting' money.

Already, two arrests have been made. The Bazarpeth police in Kalyan recently arrested two youths Sandeep N Gaikar (19) and Taklu (22) of the Omkar Ganeshotav Mandal for beating up a man who had refused to part with the sum they were demanding in vargani. In another incident, the Ulhasnagar police registered an offence against one Jeetendra Upadhe, chief of Shiv Sena's Shahad shakha, for allegedly demanding huge amounts from the shopkeepers in the area. A shopkeeper, Dr K Nathani, was threatened by Upadhe when he tried to organise fellow shopkeepers against this extortion.

But these arrests are just the tip of the iceberg. Senior officials said they suspect that these youths were led by small-time gangsters.People who have been threatened agree. ``It is so strange that we fear them. I know at least two of the youths who came to collect vargani from the time they went to school withmy kids,'' says Subbu Chari. Yet, Charis are terrified. Subbu Chari's husband, Sunder, notes that they have been paying correspondingly higher amounts every year. This Ganpati festival will see the Charis poorer by Rs 501.

But that's a small amount when compared to what some businessmen may end up paying. The Betrukar Pada builder who has been asked to pay Rs 25,001 is now negotiating to get the amount reduced. ``We builders are the worst off. They think we are flush with funds. My pleas about the market situation have fallen on deaf ears,'' he said.

Kaka Hardas, who owns a hotel in Ulhasnagar Camp 2, is a sitting corporator and knows people who would intervene on his behalf and get the vargani demanded from him to Rs 5,000. ``But that's not all. I am supposed to provide food and liquor to mandal members free of charge,'' he said. And this is when one is lucky enough to have only mandal to deal with. In some areas there are several mandals (old mandals split into two or more) and each one launchesits own independent fund collection drive. ``Whenever these mandals have internal differences over accounts and other matters there is more trouble for residents,'' points out septuaegenarian journalist, Vinayak Betavatkar. ``Splinter groups form their own rival mandal and both the sides come demanding money.''

Police have their own problems. ``We can only take preventive steps until a specific complaint is lodged with us,'' said Shrikant Savarkar, DCP Zone III. His counterpart in Zone IV was not available for comment. According to Savarkar directives have been given to all the police stations to work in tandem with local mohalla committees ``to ensure that people are not forced into paying large amounts against their will.'' When pointed out that the fear of retribution could prevent people from making complaints he laughed it off. ``Look they are not murderers to be so scared. I'm sure people can approach the police without fear,'' he said.