Jain community protests BMC closure of Dadar Kabutarkhana, defies ban to feed pigeons
Mumbai: In a defiant show of protest, hundreds of members of the Jain community gathered at the Dadar Kabutarkhana in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, forcibly reopening the pigeon-feeding area that had been closed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) following court directives.
The protest comes in the wake of a June 30 Bombay High Court order, which instructed the BMC to lodge First Information Reports (FIRs) against individuals feeding pigeons at Dadar West and other locations in contravention of civic policies. The court noted that such feeding was being done "illegally" and in a "defiant" manner despite existing prohibitions.
On Sunday, August 3, the BMC sealed the Dadar Kabutarkhana by erecting bamboo structures and covering the area with tarpaulin sheets. The move followed directions from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had instructed that pigeon feeding be permitted only in a "controlled manner".
However, on the morning of August 6, protesters, predominantly women, gathered at the site, tore down the temporary coverings, and entered the enclosure to offer grains to the pigeons. The protest led to temporary chaos as the Mumbai Police attempted to contain the crowd, but no violence was reported.
Sandeep Doshi, representing the Dadar Kabutarkhana Trust, said the act was spontaneous and peaceful. "Some other members from other communities also gathered and the extreme action was taken by them. While some things happened in the heat of the moment, we did not break anything, did not fight with the police nor the administration,” he said.
As of Wednesday evening, the Mumbai Police confirmed that no FIRs had been registered in connection with the incident.
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Rain wreaks havoc in Bengaluru, kills 10
Bengaluru (PTI):The rains in Bengaluru on Wednesday evening wreaked havoc, killing 10 people, authorities said.
Heavy rains coupled with a hailstorm and gusty winds uprooted trees, flooded many key stretches and threw traffic out of gear, they said on Thursday.
Large parts of the city witnessed sudden, intense rainfall for nearly an hour, bringing down trees and electric poles, crushing parked vehicles and inundating low-lying areas, while several roads were rendered impassable, severely disrupting vehicular movement during peak hours.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed when a compound wall of the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital collapsed amid the downpour.
Among the deceased, two were from Kerala who were on a study tour. They had taken shelter near the wall when it gave way, they said.
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In another incident, a 35-year-old man, identified as Raghu, died of electrocution on Bannerghatta Road near Vega City Mall.
In a separate case in Yarab Nagar, a student, Syed Sufiyan died after coming into contact with a live electric wire while attempting to park his motorcycle during the rain, police said.
One more fatality was reported from Chamarajapet, where Manjunath died on the spot after a cement block fell and pierced through the roof of a house during the storm.
The sudden spell of rain left a trail of destruction across the city.
“So far, 10 people have died due to rain-related incidents in Bengaluru,” police said, attributing the deaths to wall collapse, electrocution and structural damage triggered by the storm.
Civic authorities said at least 87 trees were uprooted and 131 branches snapped across the city, disrupting daily life.
Of these, 60 trees and 98 branches had been cleared, while restoration work was ongoing.
Several cars and two-wheelers parked along roadsides were crushed under fallen trees.
Key junctions and underpasses were waterlogged, with the KR Circle underpass completely submerged, forcing police to barricade the stretch due to lack of drainage.
Fallen branches and stalled vehicles further worsened traffic congestion, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
Officials said buildings suffered partial damage in several areas, while the sudden and unanticipated nature of the storm caught many residents off guard. Authorities have issued a rain alert for the next three days.
