Mumbai Horror: Kurla West Illegal Hawkers Brutally Beat Men With Belt After They Speak Against Them

On the morning of Monday, a chilling incident of street violence broke out in Kurla West of Mumbai and underscored the escalating conflict between the neighborhood residents and the street vendors operating without authorization. 

A group of illegal hawkers severely assaulted two men on the heavily trafficked New Mill Road since they allegedly protested against the occupying of the street and the consuming of whole road by the stalls.

The footage that was shot and widely shared on social media by the Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association shows the attackers hitting the victims with fists, kicks, and even belts during the day.

Even though the attacks were very severe, the video shows a shocking degree of non-intervention from the people, and the fight caused local traffic jams.

Hawker Vigilantism

The bold character of the assault brings to light a perilous development of hawker vigilantism in the suburban areas of Mumbai. The particular case saw the victims one dressed in a red T-shirt and the other in a checkered shirt, being overpowered as the group of vendors acted with complete freedom.

The fact that they resorted to using their belts as weapons indicates that they were well prepared and willing to use force over a dispute about their presence.

This incident is nothing but a sad testimony of how public spaces, which are originally meant for pedestrians and vehicles only, are controlled by local “strongmen” rather than the law. As a result, a civil social disorder has occurred on New Mill Road.

Administrative Negligence

The administration’s negligence was at the core of people’s reactions to the viral video and the BMC along with the police received most of the blame for it.

Social media users have indicated that the attack was caused by the city officials not doing their job to remove the stalls and clear the fire accessing areas. Indeed, the illegal vending has created a large area that is completely inaccessible by any type of vehicle; the presence of fire trucks and ambulances can often be seen blocked in those areas.

The public demonstrated their anger by directing it towards the Chief Minister’s Office, and this was indicative of the strong feeling that taxpayers are being left to fight against the powerful cartels while the government remains silent, thus revealing a very serious frustration.

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