In a shocking case of child trafficking, Maharashtra police thwarted an attempt to sell a 45-day-old baby girl for Rs 4 lakh in Thane district. Among those arrested are the infant’s mother, Rekha Balu Sonawane, along with three accomplices who allegedly orchestrated the sale. The operation was carried out on Tuesday, following a tip-off that led police to set up a sting with a decoy customer in Kalyan, on Mumbai’s outskirts.
The decoy, posing as a buyer met the group near a local hotel where they demanded Rs 4 lakh. As soon as the money was handed over, police moved in and arrested Rekha Sonawane, Vaishali Kishore Sonawane (35), Deepali Anil Dusing (27) and Kishore Ramesh Sonawane (34).
The mother who reportedly relies on begging for survival admitted to her desperation due to financial hardship. She disclosed that she was struggling to support her four children after her husband abandoned the family and remarried. Authorities have since transferred the rescued infant and her 5-year-old brother to a shelter in Dombivli while their two older sisters, aged 9 and 7 are now under care at Nila Balsadan in Ambernath.
-
No Water in Kharghar, Scoeities Water Tanker Bills in Lakhs
Kharghar: Residents of Sectors 34 and 35 in Kharghar are facing severe water shortages, compelling them to purchase water from private tankers despite owning homes worth Rs 1.5 crore. The failure of CIDCO to provide a consistent water supply has led to frustration among citizens, who claim that repeated complaints to officials have yielded no…
-
CIDCO Faces Backlash: Lottery Winners Demand Affordable Housing
Hundreds of CIDCO lottery winners, promised affordable homes but instead offered overpriced properties, staged a protest in Belapur, dubbing it the “Injection Morcha” against the planning agency. Their demand: a price reduction for 26,000 recently allotted homes. The agitation was backed by the Navi Mumbai unit of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). The protest gained…
-
NMMC Begins Crackdown on Unauthorized Constructions, Survey to be Completed in Four Months
Navi Mumbai: Taking a firm stance against unauthorized constructions, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has launched a comprehensive survey to identify and take action against illegal structures within its jurisdiction. The initiative follows directives from the Bombay High Court in response to Public Interest Litigations (PIL) No. 111/2022 and 209/2023. A high-level planning meeting…
-
Navi Mumbai Police Take Action Against 1,849 Vehicles in Special Traffic Drive
Navi Mumbai– In a major crackdown on traffic violations, the Navi Mumbai Traffic Police penalized 1,849 vehicles in a special enforcement drive conducted across the city. The operation, carried out under the leadership of senior police officials, targeted vehicles obstructing traffic and those parked in no-parking zones. During the drive, 1,441 vehicles were fined for causing…
-
Plan Your Travel: Key Roads Near D.Y. Patil Stadium to Be Closed on April 6
Football fans in Navi Mumbai are eagerly awaiting the much-anticipated clash between Real Madrid Legends and FC Barcelona Legends, set to take place at Dr. D.Y. Patil Stadium, Nerul, on April 6, 2025. With thousands of spectators expected to attend, the Navi Mumbai traffic police have announced a series of restrictions to ensure smooth traffic flow…
-
Mumbai’s Dog Population Down by 21.8%: Key Findings from BMC Survey
Mumbai: A decade-long study of Mumbai’s stray dog population has revealed a significant decline in overall numbers, reflecting the impact of sterilization and animal birth control (ABC) programs. However, certain wards have recorded an increase, raising new challenges for urban animal management. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in collaboration with Humane Society International/India (HSI/India), conducted…