Not Nehru's Fault - A Crime Reporter's Beat
Mohamed Thaver, author of In Plain Sight speaks and a few images from Kurla East.
Mohamed Thaver, crime reporter for The Indian Express, is known for his stories from the city’s lesser-covered areas, often overlooked by other journalists and not all crime. In his debut crime detective novel, In Plain Sight, he takes readers to Nehru Nagar and Thakkar Bappa Colony in Kurla East. These neighbourhoods, along with Kamgar (Workers’) Nagar, made headlines in June 2010 after the rape and murder of a young girl—a case the police finally solved in 2018. While reporting on the investigation, Mohamed was inspired to craft a detective thriller set in these very streets, drawing on real-life detectives, police officers, stringers, informants, journalists, and newsroom staff to create his characters. If adapted for film, the story, led by Detective Waghmare of the Mumbai Police, would be a sure-fire hit. Anurag Kashyap, Sujoy Ghosh, Nagraj Manjule, and new filmmakers—this book is worth your attention.
Mohamed Thaver spoke at Twice Told, a monthly authors' meet organized by Swapbook Bombay at the amazing MCubed Library in Bandra West.
Watch the video below, where he talks about crime reporting beats, police work, and more.
Note: The videos will not open on your email; you must view them on Substack.
Nehru Nagar Safari.
Luckily, I’ve visited these parts of Mumbai over the last decade and would like to share some images and three videos from my visits.
Thakkar Bappa Colony - Footwear Hub
Mumbai is divided according to caste and religion, with a liberal dose of class. Communities from parts of Rajasthan, North Gujarat, and maybe parts of Sindh have settled here to work in footwear and related manufacturing and trade.
Women are collecting waste from the footwear-making units in the colony. They will be sent for recycling or being repurposed.
During Raksha Bandhan, you will see these beautiful clay dolls related to Goga Baba, a folk deity from Rajasthan’s Marwar region (I think)
Below is a Khandoba shrine on the Nehru Nagar side of Thakkar Bappa Colony. Khandoba is a popular folk deity, mainly in Western Maharashtra.
Kamgar (Workers’) Nagar.
Between Nehru Nagar and Thakkar Bappa Colony is a planned grid network of roads with homes for workers. Kamgar Nagar was a very important place for the labour movement in the last century. Kurla had textile mills, the Fiat (Premier) car factory, and more. Like all mill areas of Mumbai, it also manufactures Mumbai Srees. Mumbai Sree is the annual bodybuilding competition. The finals are held in Parel, but this is a gym in Kamgar Nagar.
“Every time I smile, I burn a few calories.”
Despite what the newspapers once said, Kurla East is a Mumbai locality with the same broad smiles, daily rush, places to eat and maximum decibels. Get down at Kurla Station, wrestle your way to the eastern exit, and walk straight towards Chembur any time of the day or night.
That’s all, folks. Don’t forget to order Mohamed’s book now!
Great post again Gopal. Do we also have a transcript of the conversation?
Very interesting read! Will check out the book, and the foot in the park is priceless:-)