Tension flared in Chimbel on Tuesday as op-position to the proposed Unity Mall intensified, underscoring a mount-ing ground-level revolt against the project. Angry residents protesting for over two weeks gheraoed panch member Shankar Naik outside the Chimbel Village Panchayat office, forcing police to intervene and escort him out to pre-vent escalation.
an The confrontation fol-lowed the circulation of a video allegedly released by Naik expressing support for the Unity Mall act protesters said directly contradicted the collective will of the village. Tuesday marked the 17th consec-utive day of protests, with residents accusing elected representatives and offi-cials of pushing the project despite sustained local re-sistance.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Chaos unfolded after a panchayat meeting when villagers confronted Naik as he attempted to leave the premises.
Protesters demanded that he publicly apologise and withdraw his support for the project, accusing him of un-dermining the agitation. As tempers rose and the situation turned volatile, police personnel formed a cordon around Naik and ensured his safe exit.
Earlier in the day, villagers had gathered outside the panchayat office demanding that all permissions granted to the Unity Mall be revoked. The protest coincided with a panchayat meeting held after a gap of nearly 50 days, the last having taken place on November 28, 2025. Residents said meetings had been repeatedly deferred due to the Zilla Panchayat election code of conduct and administrative de-lays, further fuelling frustration.
A heavy police deployment remained in place throughout the day amid fears of unrest. Protesters said the core issue was trust-whether the panchayat they had elected would stand with them or side with higher authorities. Anger was exacerbated by what villagers described as a sudden dilu-tion of the panchayat’s earlier opposition to the project.
Speaking to reporters, a woman protester demanded accountability from the panch member. “He should have thought before releasing the video. He must admit that what he said was wrong and clearly state that he is with the villagers and that the Unity Mall is not required,” she said. Issuing a warning, she added, “If anyone among us is hurt, we will not remain silent.”
Villagers also questioned the sarpanch over permissions allegedly granted despite a High Court stay order, accus-ing the panchayat of backtracking on assurances that it opposed the project and would not allow construction to proceed.
Amid the standoff, Chimbel Sarpanch Sandesh Shirod-kar and other panch members met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the State Assembly later in the evening to discuss the situation.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Shirodkar sought.
