Man attacks cops with knife, police shoots him down

Mumbai: The Palghar police gunned down a man with criminal antecedents in Tulinj’s Radha Nagar area on Monday after he allegedly attacked a police constable, who approached him for nabbing, with a knife and injured him. The man had also attacked another constable. The constable allegedly fired at him in self-defence. The officer has been admitted to a local hospital.

The accused was identified as Govind Rana, who has several criminal cases (dacoity, robbery, theft, attacking policemen) registered against him. The Palghar police said that Rana was spotted with an accomplice near Gokul Building when police constables Mangesh Chavan and Manoj Sankpal went to take him into custody. It was at that point that Rana attacked the policemen.

“Rana attacked them with a knife, injuring Chavan previously, whereas Sankpal sustained minor injuries. The other accused meanwhile fled from the spot. Chavan reacted and in self-defence, fired from his pistol on Rana,” said Hemant Katkar, Palghar police spokesperson.

Rana was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead. Chavan has been admitted to ICU where he is recuperating. An accidental death report has been filed and further investigation is underway.