A 22-year-old student, Harish Sain, died inside a playground at Vasant Nagari, Vasai (East). He was attending a Holi Sammelan Mela, where he died of electrocution on March 17.
A giant wheel with passenger cabins, a mini roller coaster for kids, and other amusement park rides were set up at this Holi mela for people to enjoy a little. But, after the youth got an electric shock and died, the crowd started to vandalize these rides.
After this incident, police officials reached the spot and cordoned off the area.
Locals are accusing Municipal Commissioner Anil Pawar of giving permits to third parties throughout the year to conduct these melas and other events despite their opposition.
The playground, which hosts a sizable crowd nearly every day, is in total disarray. No one has paid attention to our repeated letters to the local MLA and the municipal corporation asking them to forbid any activity other than sports, said Joseph Varghese, Secretary of the Federation for Vasant Nagri Residents.
Varghese stated that the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) always permits some third parties to use this Vasant Nagri playground for some commercial activities along with melas and other noisy activities which disturb students as well as senior citizens. Varghese recently wrote a letter to the VVCMC commissioner and the MLAs of Nalasopara and Vasai on March 3, but no one responded to him he said.
He further mentioned that this is a playground meant for people, but the municipal commissioner has deprived people’s right to healthy physical activities. He blamed the municipal commissioner for this fatal accident.