What should citizens do if the police turn a blind eye to their complaints? If women residents of Akurdi are to be believed, the best way is: Make a complaint and then redress it yourself. That’s what members of over 20 mahila bachat gats (self-help groups) did last week. They demolished a shed — erected in front of a wine shop — which was causing nuisance and hampering free movement of residents, especially women and girls.

Around 12 noon on Wednesday, members of bachat gats in Akurdi stormed the wine shop premises and brought the shed down in a matter of minutes. Soon, the PCMC’s anti-encroachment department stepped in, flattening the shed. The shed, the women activists alleged, was being used to serve liquor to men who consumed it while standing on the road, staring at women and making lewd comments.

Geeta Sutar, president of the Dehpurti Mahila Bachat Gat, said, “I stay in Krupa Apartments where there are nine flats. The ground floor is occupied by shops, including the wine one. The wine shop is open the entire day. Men get drunk, indulge in quarrels and pass indecent comments on the women and girls who use the road,” she said. Sutar said the mahila bachat gats from the area had brought this fact to the notice of the police two years ago. “Yet there was no action in the matter.”

Mumtaz Inamdar, president of the Bhagyavidhata Mahila Bachat Gat, said actually there was no need to make any complaint to the police. “Whatever happens in front of the wine shop happens openly... policemen also use the same road where this wine shop is located. Yet they continue to turn a blind eye.”

... contd.