A chilling assault in the heart of Dombivli has left the community reeling and raised alarming questions about residential safety. Three people have been booked by the Manpada police station following a vicious attack on a hotel manager in Lodha Palava complex, an incident that has transformed a routine business trip into a nightmarish ordeal of violence. On June 22nd, 2024, at 8:40 PM, Abhishek Jagdish Joshi,a hotel manager and also a resident of Palava phase 2, accompanied by his associate Vicky Ratekar visited Serenity D , Downtown, Palava Phase 2 on an Activa scooter to deliver food in the building. They were allegedly denied entry by the security guard, Jitendra Ganpat Kevane. The situation escalated when Kevane called his supervisor and three additional unidentified men. According to the victim's statement, he was then assaulted and abused by the group.
One assailant, described as a male with a beard and grown hair wearing a yellow shirt and blue jeans, punched him in the face. Another assailant, sporting a black and blue striped shirt, brown pants, and a beard with long hair, allegedly kicked him in the chest. The security guard, Jitendra Ganpat Kevane, is also accused of hitting the victim with a wooden stick. Joshi sustained injuries to his head, nose, forehead, and legs. He was bleeding from his nose. He went to the Shastri Nagar hospital and was later discharged and is recovering now. “We have booked the 3 accused including Kevane and the arrest process in going on,” told Manpada police officials. The FIR invokes multiple sections of the IPC against the accused. These include Section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), Section 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), Section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), Section 506 (criminal intimidation), and Section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention)."
The Palava City Management Association (PCMA) has issued a statement. It says, "PCMA does not condone such behaviour. We have terminated the employment of the security personnel involved in the altercation incident that took place over the weekend with immediate effect."
The FIR also mentions that security guard Kevane had asked Joshi to register in a book before entering the building. However, Joshi informed the guard that he had a food order and that the person in Room No. 1901 was an acquaintance. The guard then asked Mr. Joshi's worker to register instead. After delivering the food order and returning to the building gate, the scuffle took place. The victim’s wife Soni while speaking to LokmatTimes.com said, “No one is safe in Palava. The goons attempted to murder my husband. They were abusing him unnecessary. If I wouldn’t have reached on time, they would have killed him. There is no law and order here in Palava. The accussed should be strictly punished.”