The city police have arrested four persons and detained two minor boys who allegedly thrashed a tempo owner with hockey sticks and then allegedly urinated on his face because he refused to pay them vargani (donation) for the Navratra festival. The victim,Raju Nivrutti Vidhate (39) of Sangamwadi,has lodged a complaint in this connection at the Faraskhana police station. The police booked the suspects under Sections 384,386,324,342,34 of the Indian Penal Code. The four suspects arrested in the case are Prafulla Devram Devkule (29),Mayur Chandrakant Velekar (22),Nitin Vitthal Dhamdhere (25) and Vijay Chandrakant Khude (25),all residents of Mangalwar Peth. Their two minor accomplices have been detained. The suspects associated with the Sangam Mitra Mandal had allegedly demanded Rs 500 from Vidhate,who owns a tempo,as vargani for Navratra celebrations. But Vidhate agreed to pay only Rs 100. On Sunday evening,Vidhates driver Hari Bhau More had gone to Mangalwar Peth in the tempo when the suspects allegedly started an argument with him. After More called Vidhate to the spot,the suspects thrashed and confined him in a tin shed in Mangalwar Peth area. They further beat him with hockey sticks and also urinated on his face before letting him free. An injured Vidhate later lodged a police complaint against the suspects. Senior police inspector Bhanupratap Barge of Faraskhana police station said interrogation of the suspects revealed that Mayur Velekar and his aides were also involved in the molestation of a woman during Ganesh Festival. The police have appealed to the citizens to file complaints against those forcing them to pay vargani. Assistant inspector Geeta Bagawde is investigating the case.
