Cop ‘attacked’ in Thane, two arrested

The incident took place around 11 pm on Wednesday when Talap and a colleague had gone to Jai Malhar restaurant at Vitawa for dinner. (Representational photo)

The Kalwa police arrested two persons and are on the lookout for at least six others for allegedly beating up a police constable with bamboo sticks and breaking a bottle on his head. The constable, Shripati Talap, posted at Thane police headquarters, is in a hospital and is said to be out of danger.

The incident took place around 11 pm on Wednesday when Talap and a colleague had gone to Jai Malhar restaurant at Vitawa for dinner. The accused were having dinner at the same restaurant, said police. Vishal Sonawane, alias Moskoto, one of the arrested persons, got into an argument with the restaurant owner and started abusing him.

When Talap tried to intervene, Sonawane told him: “Why are you intervening in the matter? We know you are a policeman.” At this point, another accused, Jayesh Koli, reportedly told Talap that when “chapter proceedings”, undertaken in cases of externment, were underway against him at the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Kalwa, Talap was acting very proud.

This led to a fight and the group of eight started beating up the constable. While Sonawane broke a cold drink bottle on Talap’s head, others hit him with bamboos and stones. They also beat up Talap’s friend Ajay Shah, who was accompanying him, before fleeing the spot.