Pune police attackers taken to police station with legs tied

Pune city police have arrested two persons within 12 hours after they allegedly attacked a police officer with a koyta (machete) in Hadapsar area after he tried to break up a fight around 4 pm on Sunday.

The suspects have been identified as Nihalsingh Mannusingh Tak (19) and Rahulsingh Ravindrasingh Bhond (20), both residents of Canal Road in Hadapsar.

Tak and Singh were arrested based on a tip-off for allegedly attacking API Ratnakar Gaikwad in Solapur district, which is about 250 kilometres from Pune.

Meanwhile, when the suspects were brought to Wanwadi police station in Pune, the police tied their legs with ropes and made them skip towards the station. In a video that went viral on social media, the suspects are seen skipping awkwardly towards the police station.

Watch video:

API Gaikwad suffered serious head injuries and is currently undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) staged a protest on Monday demanding the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state’s Home Minister, alleging that the law and order situation in the city has deteriorated.

“We demand that Fadnavis resign as Home Minister. When he is the Minister of State for Home Affairs or the Chief Minister, crimes increase. In cities like Pune, large quantities of drugs are seized. Crimes have increased because criminals who are external are in Fadnavis’ convoy,” alleged the party’s city unit leader Prashant Jagtap. The attack on a policeman shows that criminals have become more brazen, he said.

Baramati MP Supriya Sule took to social media to voice her concerns and said, “Is it true that criminals in Pune no longer fear the police? A police officer was attacked and injured with a machete within the jurisdiction of Wanwadi police station. This incident highlights the rampant criminality in the city and the failure of the Home Minister to tackle it.”

Congress MP Ravindra Dhangekar said, “It is a shame for the Home Ministry that the police brothers who are responsible for the safety of all of us are being attacked in Pune.”

“In Pune, crime has increased rapidly in the last few years. Small gangs and young children are walking around with knives and sticks; cars are being broken, people are being beaten up. Besides, criminal gangs are also active. Looking at this situation, it is necessary that Maharashtra Home Minister Fadnavis should completely suspend the election campaign for some time and pay attention to the law and order situation in Maharashtra,” Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Mukund Kirdat said.