4 hurt as burglars attack cops,flee

At Sahyadri Hospital,Bibwewadi,Deshmukh who works with Zensar company told mediapersons that he heard some noises in the E-wing early in the morning. “I called my friends and a few residents over phone. We also informed the police control room.”

Sub-inspector A D Paigude of Sahkarnagar police reached the spot with five policemen in quick time and went to the E-wing. But after sometime,the policemen came back running after the burglars attacked them with stones and iron rods. The burglars attacked Deshmukh at the parking lot of E-Wing. ASI Kazi who sought to protect Deshmukh was injured badly.

Rajendra Shilimkar,a resident,said the burglars had broken into the office of TUV software company,which is adjacent to his fourth-floor flat. “They had locked my flat from outside and the police had opened it. When I came out,I saw policemen going to the sixth floor. Later,we saw them running down. The burglars had hit them on the head with rods.”

Another resident Nitin Bora said there are about 100 flats and 40 shops and offices in Royal Arcade. “Burglars broke into four flats and offices in B,C and E wings. All of them were strongly built and were wearing short Bermuda pants and half T-shirts. They had not covered their faces.”

A resident said a policeman had managed to nab one burglar while they were fleeing. But the other burglars came back,attacked the policeman,rescued their accomplice and escaped through the canal side by climbing the 10-ft compound wall of the complex. SI Paigude opened fire from his service revolver,but the bullet missed the target and hit a parked car.

A resident said a security guard deployed at the complex was absent during the incident. There were two security guards deployed by a bank in Royal Arcade,but they guard only the bank and not the entire complex.

Police Commissioner Meeran Borwankar visited the injured at the hospital. Top police officers,including additional commissioner of police (crime) A D Shinde,deputy commissioner (crime) Rajesh Bansode and deputy commissioner (Zone II) Raghunath Khaire,visited the crime scene. DCP Khaire said 10 police teams,comprising about 100 policemen,have been deployed to nab the suspects. A first information report has been filed with Sahakarnagar police and senior inspector Mahadev Gawde is investigating the case.

2 attacks in 2 Months

A month ago,three constables were badly beaten by a gang of thieves at Masulkar Colony in Pimpri. On August 8,residents informed the control room about two house break-ins at the colony. The burglars attacked the Pimpri police team with scissors and cutters,wherein the policemen suffered injuries on their faces and hands. The crime branch had,10 days later,arrested two burglars in connection with the incident.