Former BJP corporator & 3 others booked under Atrocities Act
In his complaint, Aarde, 32, from Padmavati said that on June 20 at around 11 am, he along with others went to Shankar Maharaj Math for darshan
PUNE: The Sahakarnagar police Wednesday booked former Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Rajendra Yashwant Shilimkar and three others in connection with assault and atrocities towards scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, officials said.
According to Chetan Aarde, a member of the Matang community, he was barred from entering the premises and subjected to physical assault and derogatory remarks due to his caste during a Rudrabhishek ceremony held at the Shankar Maharaj Math, Satara Road, on June 20 that had union minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol in attendance.
In his complaint, Aarde, 32, from Padmavati said that on June 20 at around 11 am, he along with others went to Shankar Maharaj Math for darshan. There, union minister Mohol, Rajendra Shilimkar and other BJP workers were performing puja. When Aarde tried to enter the math for darshan, he was allegedly barred from entering by Rajendra Shilimkar and other BJP workers.
Aarde claimed that others were allowed to enter and take darshan but he wasn’t allowed due to his caste. Later, Rajendra Shilimkar and others made derogatory remarks about his caste and beat him up. Aarde then dialled the police on 112 but did not get any help. According to Aarde, because he was trying to lodge a police complaint against Rajendra Shilimkar, the police did not take his complaint. For the past five days, Aarde has been on a hunger strike in front of the Pune social welfare department.
Taking cognisance of the same, the Sahakarnagar police Wednesday filed an FIR (first information report) against Rajendra Shilimkar and others under sections 323, 504, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s) and 3(1)(y) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989.
The accused - identified as Rajendra Yashwant Shilimkar, Mahesh Yashwant Shilimkar, Archit Mahesh Shilimkar and Atharva Rajendra Shilimkar - are all from Sahakarnagar. Rajendra Shilimkar has represented Padmavati and Bibwewadi areas in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
