Journalism of Courage
Incidents involving the so-called ‘Koyta gangs’ terrorising members of the public by brandishing machetes, especially in areas that lie on the outskirts of Pune, still continue despite the recent uproar against it in the Maharashtra Assembly. Videos of another such incident which allegedly took place on Wednesday night have gone viral, stoking public ire against the police’s failure to rein in the perpetrators. Two persons involved, including a minor, were detained soon, officers said.
The viral videos show two men, allegedly from the infamous ‘Koyta gang’, brandishing machetes and indiscriminately assaulting people near Sinhagad Law College. They also can be seen entering shops and demolishing roadside stalls as people flee in terror. According to locals, the drama went on for about 20 minutes before marshals from the Bharati Vidyapeeth Police Station reached the spot, chased the duo and beat them up with lathis.
According to the police, two youngsters who were allegedly involved in the incident were taken to the police station soon. While Karan Dalvi was arrested, the other was a minor whom the police apprehended. A case has been registered under sections pertaining to the Arms Act, besides other sections involving assault on citizens.
On Thursday, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajit Pawar raised the issue of the ‘Koyta gang’, especially in the outskirts of Pune, such as the Manjari Budruk, Bhekrainagar, Ganga Nagar and Hadapsar areas. “In the name of ‘Koyta gangs’, some goons are going about brandishing koytas and terrorising people. They are robbing women of their jewellery, damaging vehicles, entering shops and refusing to pay bills, They are trying to establish dominance in this area through terror,” Pawar said.
“Locals are now starting to believe that these gangs enjoy tacit support from the police. I demand that a special police team should be formed and this Koyta gang that has flourished in the state should be dealt with immediately,” Pawar said in the House.
