4 youths try to drown sub-inspector, arrested

In yet another incident of attack on policemen in the state, four youths of a Ganesh Utsav mandal were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly trying to drown an on-duty sub-inspector (SI) at a pond in Kalyan on Tuesday evening. Kolsewadi police identified those arrested as Bandesh Gaikwad (21), Nayan Gaikwad (22), Naresh Gaikwad (32) and Rahul Gaikwad (20). They have been booked under sections 307, 353, 332, 186 and 34 of the IPC.

On Tuesday, SI Niteen Dondu Dagale, attached to Kolsewadi police station in Kalyan, was posted near Tisai lake to oversee Ganpati immersions. Recounting the incident, Mr Dagale said, “There is a place near the pond where people keep their idols and pray before immersing them. Four youths from one Jari Mari Mitra Mandal were playing banjo there, which was making it difficult for the police to manage the crowd. At the same time, some people complained that the youths were not allowing them to immerse idols. When I asked them to leave, they picked up a quarrel and began abusing me. Later, they pushed me into the lake and tried to drown me. My swimming skills saved me.”

A video clip of the incident had gone viral on the social media.