Former MLA Mamledar dies after altercation in Belagavi

A screenshot from CCTV footage capturing the cab driver assaulting former Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar (in white shirt) outside the hotel.

BELAGAVI
Former Ponda MLA and ex-DySP Lavoo Suryaji Mamledar (69) died after he was assaulted by a cab driver following an altercation outside a hotel in Belagavi on Saturday noon.

A case of murder has been registered against the cab driver.

According to police, the incident took place at about 12.50 pm outside the Srinivas Residency Hotel, where Mamledar was staying, at Khade Bazaar in the city. Mamledar, a resident of Durgabhat-Ponda, was a frequent visitor to Belagavi.

Hotel sources said Mamledar had booked a suite in the hotel and was entering the hotel premises in his car. While negotiating a narrow curve, the car is said to have grazed the cab.

The cab driver, identified by police as Amirsuhil Shakilsab Sanadi (26), of 2nd Cross Subhash Nagar, Belagavi, demanded a sum of money to get the scratch repaired. However, as there was hardly any damage to the auto cab, Mamledar sought the pardon of the driver and continued to drive his car towards the basement parking of the hotel.

The enraged auto cab driver followed Mamledar and both then returned to the cab, where an altercation took place. Sanadi then allegedly assaulted Mamledar on his face and head multiple times.

Mamledar then walked into the hotel and began climbing the stairs, when he collapsed near the lift.

He was rushed to the emergency ward of the District Hospital here where he was declared dead.

Later addressing media persons, DCP (L&O) Rohan Jagdish said since Mamledar died immediately after the assault by the auto driver, a case of murder has been registered against Sanadi at the Market Police Station.

“The death occurred within a few seconds of the assault and it looked like an impact of the assault. Hence, a case of murder has been registered. However, the facts will be established only after the post mortem is carried out and a report is submitted,” said DCP Jagdish, when asked if the former Ponda MLA had died due to a heart attack.

In the evening, the bereaved family rushed to Belagavi and proceeded to the mortuary of the District Hospital. Later, they went to the Market Police Station, after which a post-mortem was performed.

Acting on a complaint lodged by one eye-witness Adiveppa Karlingannavar, the Market Police Station registered a case of murder against Sanadi and he was sent to custody at the Hindalga Central Prison.

DCP L&O Rohan Jagdish later told media persons that the body was handed over to relatives after the post mortem, after which an ambulance left Belagavi and arrived in Goa late Saturday evening.

Belagavi (North) MLA Asif (Raju) Sait who visited the mortuary expressed his shock and anguish over the incident.

“I strongly condemn the incident and have asked the police to take stringent action against the person who had assaulted Mamledar. I also urge the auto drivers to maintain their cordial relations with the passengers. There are rising complaints about the unruly behaviour of the auto drivers in Belagavi, I also plan an orientation programme along with the police,” Sait said.

Initial reports had mentioned Sanadi as a rickshaw driver, but the Rickshaw Drivers and Owners Association Secretary Mohammad Rafique later issued a clarification stating, “the accused is not a rickshaw driver but a cab driver and his cab has an ‘auto’ written on it. Hence, the identity of rickshaw drivers should not be mixed up unnecessarily.”

Mamledar was elected on the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party ticket in the 2012 Goa Assembly elections, but later lost to Ravi Naik in the 2017 assembly elections.

Mamledar later joined the All India Trinamool Congress for three months, before quitting the party and joining the Congress party.

Prior to entering politics, he was a teacher and then joined the Goa Police, where he retired as deputy superintendent of police.