An elderly woman was burnt to death after a fire broke out on the 15th floor of the Presidential Towers at LBS Marg in Ghatkopar on Saturday evening. According to the fire brigade officials, the fire broke out at around 4.45 pm. “We doused the flames at around 7.45 pm, and eight fire engines, six tankers and two ambulances rushed to the spot,” said a fire official.
The deceased Lata Duggad (65) was alone at home at the time of the incident. The police said that Duggad’s family consisted of her son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons, who left for Europe four days ago. Lata’s son owns a showroom in Thane. The 15th floor of the tower houses three flats. The prima facie investigations of the fire department revealed faults in the fire safety system installed in the tower. “They had installed a dysfunctional water riser system. A detailed investigation will be conducted in this regard,” said Mr Atmaram Shinde, deputy chief fire officer. The fire brigade officials are yet to ascertain the cause for the fire.
***
Muslim group for Akhtar
Age Correspondent
Mumbai
Muslims for Secular Democracy (MSD) on Sunday condemned the death threats issued to noted lyricist and MSD president Javed Akhtar. The organisation’s vice-president Sajid Rashid and general secretary Javed Anand issued a statement saying it was “the attempt of some bigoted and fanatical Muslims to silence the voice of reason and fair play, by threatening its president with violence and fatwas declaring him an apostate”.
Mr Akhtar had criticised a fatwa of the Darul uloom Deoband, which stated that Islam forbids Muslim women from working with men. “Barely two months ago, Mr Akhtar’s effigy was burnt in Lucknow because he questioned the clergy’s argument that Muslim women must stay away from politics. In both cases, Mr Akhtar reaffirmed the MSD’s consistent opposition to the clergy’s attempts to keep Muslim women confined to their homes. Some years ago, MSD vice-president and current associate editor of Urdu daily Sahafat, Mr Sajid Rashid, was stabbed in Mumbai,” the MSD statement said.
The Mumbai police has given Mr Akhtar, a Rajya Sabha MP, police protection and assured prompt action against the culprit. Appreciating prompt action taken by the police, the MSD said it hoped the police acts on its promise. “The MSD will not be silenced by hate mails, threats of violence or ex-communication. The MSD does not remain silent when Muslims are victims of violence or injustice. But it will also not be silent in the face of injustice to Muslim women,” the statement said.