BMC Election 2026: Mumbai Civic Poll Campaign Turns Violent as Shiv Sena Candidate Haji Salim Qureshi and Independent Candidate Attacked in Separate Incidents

Amid the intensifying campaign for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the city was rocked by two violent incidents targeting candidates in separate wards, raising serious concerns over law and order during the poll season.

The first incident was reported from Ward No. 92, where Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s official candidate, Haji Salim Qureshi, was brutally attacked by unidentified assailants around 5 pm. The attackers allegedly stabbed Qureshi multiple times in the abdomen before fleeing the spot. He sustained serious injuries and was immediately rushed to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment. Hospital sources said his condition is being closely monitored.

The motive behind the attack and the identity of the assailants are yet to be ascertained. Police have launched an investigation into the case. Zone 8 Deputy Commissioner of Police Manish Kalvania said that Qureshi is undergoing treatment and is presently out of danger. Efforts are on to trace the attackers and take further legal action.

In another incident, an independent candidate from Ward No. 34, Arbaaz Aslam Sheikh, was injured after his campaign convoy was pelted with stones on January 6, 2026, at No. 5 Market in the Malvani area. Sheikh suffered a serious head injury and profuse bleeding. He was immediately taken to a nearby private clinic for medical treatment.

Following the incident, Sheikh’s elder brother, Shahrukh Aslam Sheikh, approached the senior police inspector of Malvani Police Station. The police have directed a medical examination (MLC) and registered an FIR based on the complaint. A search has been launched to identify and apprehend those responsible.

The attacks on candidates during election campaigning are being viewed as serious incidents, sparking questions over the prevailing law and order situation in the city. Police have intensified investigations in both cases, while security arrangements across Mumbai are likely to be tightened in the coming days.