‘Drunk’ assailants create ruckus on Pune roads, thrash people and bite policeman

Police suspect the youngsters were drunk. They have nabbed six people including an autorickshaw driver and are planning to lodge a first information report against them at the Vishrambag police station on attempt to murder and other charges.

The assailants have been identified as Akshay Choure (28), Sagar Rathod (20), Akash Gade (22), Vishal Chavan (19), Ravidas Rathod (32), Nirakar Kadam (23) and a 17-year-old boy–all residents of the Sinhagad Road area.

Policeman Satish Jadhav, who was injured in the incident, said that the youngsters first attacked people near Maharashtra Electronics on Tilak Road around 3.30pm. Then they moved to various spots on Kelkar Road and places around Alka Talkies and Khau Galli near the Hatti Ganpati temple, where they attacked more people for no reason.

It was learnt that near the Jondhale Chowk, the assailants allegedly thrashed one Sukhdev Gaikwad badly. They hit another man with a stone, leaving him injured.

After a local resident informed the police control room about the incident, policeman Jadhav started chasing the assailants on his motorcycle. “They were going from one spot to another in an autorickshaw. I managed to intercept them near Alka Talkies. When I tried to nab the youths, one of them bit me on my stomach. My colleague Harshal Dudam came to my rescue. With the help of some people at the spot, we got hold of six youths and brought them to the police station. A case will be registered against them under Indian Penal Code Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 354 (assault to woman with intention to outrage her modesty) and other provisions of the law,” said Jadhav.

Senior police inspector Sunil Mane of the Vishrambag police station said that one of the accused, Akash Gade, was a history-sheeter.

“They were carrying a sharp weapon while moving in the autorickshaw. They assaulted a few people badly. At least three people who got injured in the incident have approached us so far. Our policeman was also injured in the incident. Further investigation is on,” said Mane.