Two police inspectors and five constables were injured when a mob turned violent during a demolition drive at Koparkhairane on Tuesday.
The mob began to pelt stones at CIDCO and police officials during the demolition drive at a plot near Koparkhairane Railway Station opposite Balaji Theatre.
“The plot is adjacent to the road and people had built illegal hutments on this plot. Even before the CIDCO and police officials entered, the mob started pelting stones on the road. The officials had to rush to safety as none of them had expected such a reaction,” a police officer from Koparkhairane police station, said.
Senior Police Inspector Shivaji Awate from Koparkhairane was injured at the back of his head and fell unconscious while Police Inspector Sunil Gavali and five constables sustained minor injuries. Later, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone I Sudhakar Pathare along with a unit of Riot Control and around 100 extra policemen reached the spot. Police later took 14 people into custody.
“Around 10 staff from each 10 police stations of Zone I along with riot control unit waa called upon. We asked the mob to cooperate with us and evicted them from the plot and then Cidco demolished the illegal shanties,” Mr Pathare said. The police carried a banner stating, ‘Your assembly is illegal and hence leave the place or else we would resort to forceful action’.
Police then nabbed 14 people including eight women and six men from the mob. The people were arrested for attempt to murder, attacking government officers on duty, rioting and unlawful assembly. They were nabbed under sections 307, 353, 332,333, 141,142,143,144, 145, 146,147,148,149, 153, 114 and 34 of IPC alongwith section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, along with section 7 of Criminal Law (Amendment Act) and section 7 of Bombay Police Act.