Police claimed to have recovered mephedrone, leading to the registration of a separate case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. (File Photo)

By Manish Kumar Pathak

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday demolished a one-storey residential structure in Santosh Nagar, Goregaon (East) — linked to a family over their alleged involvement in a violent clash during a religious procession — following police claims of illegal narcotics activity at the premises.

The action came after a confrontation broke out in Santosh Nagar, Goregaon (East) on April 5, during a Mariamma Devi procession, where members of a family allegedly damaged a DJ system playing devotional music and assaulted two young participants, leading to rising tensions in the area.

Officers from Dindoshi Police Station arrested nine members of the family on various charges including attempted murder and rioting.

The accused arrested in the case were identified as Sohail Ikram Sayyad (31), Munir Inam Sayyad alias Sonu (24), Kajal Ikram Sayyad (27), Parveen Shamsuddin Mohammed Shaikh (43), Farzana Mohammed Subhan Shaikh (34), Rehana Riyaz Shaikh (36), Ammu alias Pradeep Prabhakar Nair (37), Nasreen Shamsuddin Mohammed Shaikh (20) and Firoz Ikram Sayyad. All are residents of BMC Colony in Santosh Nagar, Goregaon East. Police said eight of the accused are family members, while Nair worked with them. Two minors, aged 15 and 13 years, have also been apprehended and sent to a children’s remand home.

During searches at the residence, police claimed to have recovered mephedrone, leading to the registration of a separate case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Seven accused, excluding the minors, are currently in police custody till April 11. Police also arrested Shabana Shaikh, who was wanted in the assault case.

“We had informed the BMC on the day of the incident that the accused were allegedly running illegal narcotics activity from their illegal structure. Based on this, notices were issued and action was taken. Once the custody in the assault case ends, we will take custody of those involved in the drug case,” a police officer said.

This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here.