Mumbai Mayor, Family Receives Anonymous Death Threat Letter with Derogatory Language

Even last year, Mayor Pednekar had received a death threat over the phone where the caller told her that he was calling from Jamnagar in Gujarat and threatened to kill her, she had told police. Later the caller was arrested from Gujarat.

Mumbai: Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar has reportedly received an anonymous death threat letter on Friday morning that contained derogatory languages and is set to file a police complaint. As per reports, the mayor said that the envelope containing the letter was not sealed and that she will be filing an official complaint on the matter. The death threat letter was written in Marathi and warns that if she messes with “Dada”, there will be repercussions. Following the incident, Byculla police station officials reached the Mayor’s residence and have already launched an investigation into the matter.

Even last year, Mayor Pednekar had received a death threat over the phone where the caller told her that he was calling from Jamnagar in Gujarat and threatened to kill her, she had told police. Later the caller was arrested from Gujarat.

And now, this fresh death threat letter came amid the row over a BJP MLA Ashish Shelar’s alleged objectionable remark on Mayor Pednekar. Shelar had allegedly made the comments while criticising the Shiv Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) handling of the case of a cylinder blast in Worli area recently, in which three members of a family died.

Earlier on Thursday, Shelar claimed his comments pertaining to Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar were distorted, a day after an FIR was registered against him in the matter. Senior BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also said Shelar’s remarks were misinterpreted and that no BJP leader would make indecent comments against any woman.said, The police complaint filed against me is based on a press statement made some days back. The entire video of the press conference is there in public domain. However, to enable a legal action against me, my words have been distorted deliberately.”

The BJP leader said he always had cordial relations with Mayor Pednekar irrespective of their different political affiliations. Shelar, without naming anyone, said he was aware who was trying to frame him by making Pednekar file the complaint against him, and added that he will firmly present his case in court.

“People of the state have seen the ruling party’s misuse of power for last two years and the complaint against me is in tandem,” he said. The Shiv Sena shares power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra. Shelar further said he had exposed the ruling dispensation’s “carelessness” in the Worli cylinder blast case, and also pointed out loopholes in the coastal road project.

“Those who criticised the flawed OBC reservation were suspended during the last Assembly session, he added. Meanwhile, to a query by reporters at the Nagpur airport, Fadnavis said Shelar’s comments were misinterpreted. “No BJP leader, or particularly Ashish Shelar, would use indecent or wrong words against any woman, including the mayor,” he said. Since Shelar speaks aggressively against the Shiv Sena, the case was lodged to silence him, Fadnavis claimed.