Violence Erupts in Thane as Political Rivalries Over Redevelopment Projects Intensify
In Thane, political rivalries have repeatedly turned violent, with disputes over elections, land, and real estate surfacing in a series of murders and shootings over the decades. The murder of Shiv Sena vibhag pramukh Pradeep Purnekar on September 29 is the latest incident to draw attention to the intersection of local politics and the city’s lucrative redevelopment and real estate economy. The history stretches from the 1989 killing of corporator Sridhar Khopkar over alleged cross-voting to the 2015 suicide of builder Suraj Parmar, the 2020 murder of MNS leader Jamil Shaikh, and a BJP MLA opening fire on a rival Shiv Sena leader inside a police station in 2024. Former police officers and researchers say the enormous sums involved in redevelopment, competition among political networks for a share of the business and alleged political interference in policing have contributed to the recurring violence. A former IPS officer who had served in the Thane City police told The Indian Express , “The murders over the years are really ‘business murders’ and not ‘political murders’. While they may involve political people, it is more about squeezing out more money from the various building projects coming up in Thane, forcing builders to award labour contracts to their men or purchase raw materials from people linked to them.” The officer said that as Mumbai ’s development potential was increasingly seen as having been exhausted, construction activity expanded in Thane, creating opportunities for local politicians to make money over the past two decades. Dr Sanjay Patil, an academician and researcher in urban politics, said, “Real estate and land-related conflicts are a major issue. Since there is massive scope for redevelopment, many local political party workers, corporators and senior leaders get involved in the redevelopment economy, which includes securing consent letters from slum residents or occupants of old buildings in favour of a particular builder.” One of the allegations being investigated by Thane City police in the Purnekar murder is whether he had a fallout with a rival political couple over securing residents’ consent for the redevelopment of an old building that was to be part of a larger project, potentially generating commissions worth crores. “Earlier, politicians here were happy with getting funding from builders. Now they want partnerships and want to squeeze out as much money as possible. Given the large sums involved, several parties with powerful leaders are vying for the same pie, leading to conflicts,” Patil said. Political violence in Thane dates back decades. On April 21, 1989, Shiv Sena corporator Sridhar Khopkar was murdered after allegedly cross-voting against the party’s candidate in the Thane Municipal Corporation mayoral election held on March 20 that year. Influential Shiv Sena Thane district chief Anand Dighe was accused of conspiring to order the killing as punishment for what was seen as a betrayal of the party. He was arrested on murder charges and later released on bail. A police officer said the killing significantly enhanced Dighe’s standing, helping him consolidate his control over Thane on behalf of the Shiv Sena. After Dighe died in August 2001, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde , who regards him as his guru and models himself on him, took over the party’s reins in Thane. Shinde initially led the undivided Shiv Sena in the region and, following the split with Uddhav Thackeray, continued as the leader of the Eknath Shinde-led faction. In 2015, builder Suraj Parmar shot himself in a flat in his under-construction project on October 7, leaving behind a 13-page suicide note. The note named then NCP corporators Vikrant Chavan and Najeeb Mulla, Congress corporator Hanumant Jagdale and independent corporator Sudhakar Chavan. The four were later arrested in connection with the case on charges of abetting Parmar’s suicide. In the note, Parmar said that while he had earlier paid bribes to local corporators, their demands had become exorbitant and he could no longer afford them. He alleged that the corporators had subsequently ensured that work at several of his under-construction sites was stopped. The former IPS officer said political interference in policing was another factor contributing to the problem. “Another major issue has been that the hands of the top brass of the police are tied because of micromanagement by political bosses, who also decide which inspector will be posted in which police station, leaving senior officers toothless,” he said. The officer alleged that several posts meant for IPS officers were instead given to state police service officers, whom political leaders were believed to consider more amenable to their instructions. However, he said clear directions from senior political and administrative authorities could make a difference. He cited the example of Pappu Kalani, whose influence was reduced after senior authorities issued clear instructions to the police, following complaints that he was creating law and order problems in Ulhasnagar. In 2020, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader and RTI activist Jamil Shaikh, 49, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants in Thane’s Rabodi area on November 23. Four people were arrested in the case, with the main shooter, Osama Khan, arrested four years after the murder. While Thane police did not disclose a motive for the killing, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), which assisted in apprehending Khan, said in a press note that Khan had claimed he was instructed by Najeeb Mulla to carry out the murder. Thane police did not mention this allegation. Mulla, who had earlier been part of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, which opposed the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, had by then aligned with the ruling alliance following the split in the NCP led by the late Ajit Pawar. Shaikh’s family members had also alleged that Mulla was behind the killing, claiming that Shaikh had complained about illegal construction activities allegedly carried out by him. Thane police did not disclose the motive for the murder. In the Purnekar case, Thane police have not yet disclosed a motive. However, the UP STF, which helped arrest two accused in Prayagraj, said in a press note that the accused had claimed Purnekar was killed over issues linked to the Thane Municipal Corporation elections held earlier this year. In another high-profile incident, BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad opened fire inside the Hill Line police station in Ulhasnagar, in Thane district, on February 2, 2024. His target, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) leader Mahesh Gaikwad , survived despite sustaining six gunshot wounds. The BJP MLA also fired at Mahesh Gaikwad’s associate, Rahul Patil. The BJP MLA later claimed that he had acted out of frustration and in self-defence after his son was allegedly assaulted. The shooting took place inside the senior police inspector’s cabin amid a bitter political and land dispute between rival camps. The incident, in which a legislator opened fire on a political rival inside a police station, embarrassed the ruling Mahayuti coalition and drew sharp criticism from opposition parties, which accused the government of failing to maintain law and order.
