PAGES: 16+16 (TGS LIFE) | PRICE: `5
PUNE, OCTOBER 24, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com
Sunita Kalyani
Baba Kalyani
Neelakanth Kalyani
Gaurishankar Kalyani
Rohini Kalyani
Sugandha Hiremath
Viraj Kalyani
Sheetal Kalyani
David Vs Goliath
plays out in the Kalyani family 70 families rendered homeless Deeksha Kalyani
Amit Kalyani
Sheetal Kalyani, 27, has sought her share of the family assets and has filed a case against the entire Kalyani clan, including her own parents as well as her uncle Baba Kalyani, one among the country’s wealthiest businessman said to be worth USD 2.3 Billion See Spotlight, p08 & 09
Those whose belongings were unharmed by blaze, found it stolen BY GARGI VERMA & EKTA KATTI @TGSWeekly For the slum dwellers of Meenatai Th ackeray Vasar in Gultekdi area, it was a dark Dussehra and Durga Pooja celebrations on Thursday. A huge fi re that broke out around 4 pm destroyed around 70 houses in the slum, sending residents running for their lives, officials said. The cause of the fi re is believed to be a short circuit aggravated by cylinder blast. Residents claim that eight to ten cylinders blew off , although the fi nal number is yet to be confi rmed. GROUND ZERO Twelve fi re trucks and three tankers took around two hours to contain the blaze that started around 3:30 pm and leapt swiftly from one shanty to another. Senior fi refighter Kailash Shinde, who was stationed on a slab placed atop one of the huts, fell and injured his left knee when the slab caught fi re. He is undergoing treatment at Rao Hospital in Bibwewadi. As soon as residents heard the initial blasts, they rushed out of their homes dragging along with them their gas cylinders. Some of them left their cylinders and children in the nearby mosque of Sayyed Hamid Shah urf Ganibaba Kadri, as they rushed back to see what else they could save from their huts. Others were found sitting on pavements or running around teary eyed, looking for missing family members. Narrow lanes in between rows of cramped houses were fi lled with panicking people. They pushed each other in an attempt to assess the damage done to their houses. As fi refighters were battling the fi re, residents helplessly looked on from far. Renu Mane, 23, is devastated as her home is razed completely. She was in the house along with her mother-in-law and children when the fi re broke out. Renu and her husband had borrowed money from multiple sources to build the house. While the rest of the family is safe, Renu still can’t find her husband. Sakina Saeed, an inhabitant of the slum, was inconsolable as she watched her house turn into a black spot. All her family’s belongings were lost in the fi re. She and her husband, who owns a hand cart, had saved up Rs 10,000 for the marriage of their son who had just finished his B.Ed. What may seem like a measly sum to others was Sakina’s life savings. Pinky’s family was staying on rent in one of the houses in the slum. They have lost their belongings and savings and now have to compensate their landlord for the damages. Clad in a black burqa she was unable to hold in her tears and was repeatedly saying, “Everything is lost now.” As soon as the fi re fighters let in people to
their houses, she rushed in, jostling with the crowd to salvage whatever she could. Madhu, who lost her belongings in the fi re, was seen consoling others. “I know nothing of my house remains. I will feel grief about it soon, till then I can console the children. I am sure, some of their houses are fine, the boys have seen,” she says pointing at the boys that had climbed up with the fi re fighters. Shiv Rao, who managed to find his children, is frantically searching for his wife. Hidayat Sayyed, an old man
was also unable to locate his spouse. He was worried about her as she gets fits of coughs if staying in a sooty place. Salma Sayyed’s house has burnt down and all ornaments that she had saved for her two daughters of marriageable age have been destroyed in the fi re. Her two daughters are of marriageable age and Salma is so struck with grief, she is unable to speak. With tears in her eyes, she just walks around, her daughters tailing her. Finally, one of the elderly Contd on p 06
“Baba Kalyani in collusion and conspiracy with grandmother Sulochana Kalyani, aunt Sunita, cousin Amit and his wife Deeksha purported to take wrongful control of the family assets and business.” —Suit filed by Sheetal Kalyani “All the documents pertaining to companies, assets, and trusts started by my husband, are in possession of your mother Rohini Kalyani. Send those documents to me immediately. Only after examining them, will I be able to respond to your notice.” —Sulochana Kalyani to siblings