We spent the night praying he would survive, says well-wisher

Political heavy weights including Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Bhai Jagtap from Congress, Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Praveen Darekar from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) offered condolences to the bereaved family

MUMBAI: People thronged the streets of an otherwise sleepy suburb of Borivali East on Friday. Everyone turned up to pay their last respects to their beloved leader, Abhishek Ghosalkar, who was remembered as a visionary and a problem solver.

Mumbai, India - Feb. 9, 2024: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Chief Uddhav Thackeray along with his wife Rashmi Thackeray and son Aaditya Thackeray arrive to pay last respects to party leader Abhishek Ghosalkar, who died after being allegedly shot by unidentified people during a Facebook live, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, February 9, 2024. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

Political heavy weights including Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Bhai Jagtap from Congress, Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Praveen Darekar from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) offered condolences to the bereaved family. Abhishek’s father, Vinod Ghosalkar, a former MLA, mother, corporator wife Tejasvee and eight-year-old daughter Yashvi were inconsolable. His three-year-old son Satej, looked stunned by the chaos at home, as he clung on to his grandfather, Vinod.

Abhishek’s body reached the Ghosalkar residence – Adumber CHS -- in Daulat Nagar around 1.15pm from JJ Hospital. His younger brother Saurabh, a builder, performed the last rites at Daulat Nagar Hindu cemetery, a short distance from their house, at around 3.30pm.

A relative said Abhishek, Tejasvee and their children were supposed to fly to Shimla on Friday to celebrate their fourteenth wedding anniversary on Wednesday.

Smita Dhotre, a school friend’s mother felt she lost a member of her own family. “My son is not in Mumbai; Abhishek always kept in touch with my husband to ensure we were well. He touched my feet the last time I met him in a bank,” she recalled, adding the Ghosalkars were a simple, middle-class family with high moral values.

Teary-eyed people thronging the streets of Daulat Nagar swapped their favourite tales about him – a testament to his popularity and goodwill the family had earned.

Narayan Shewak, who owns a tea stall close to Abhishek’s office, shut down his business for a day as a mark of respect. He spent the day outside the Ghosalkar residence and the crematorium, a kilometer away. “Despite being a big leader, he was always polite to everyone. Whenever he passed by our shop, he would ask about the wellbeing of our family and workers,” he said.

Others remembered his kindness. Kandarpada resident Savita Kamble recollected how he helped her children secure admission in an English medium school, apart from ensuring that the family was doing well during lockdown. “We spent the night praying he would survive. It was incredible to hear he didn’t make it,” she said.

Yvonne D’Souza, a member of IC Colony Women’s Association, who knew Abhishek for 23 years – from the time he started his journey in public life – said “he was a gem”.