‘Drug peddlers’ pelt stones, injure cops in Mumbai

An officer said the incident took place around 9.30 pm when the Worli ANC received a call from locals about drug dealers operating near the railway quarters. (Representational)

A POLICEMAN was seriously injured while four other cops suffered minor injuries after over 20 foreign nationals allegedly attacked them with stones at Byculla on Thursday night. According to police, the attack was a response to a raid by the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) on a suspected drug deal taking place near the Byculla railway quarters. The local JJ Marg police registered an attempt to murder case against the accused.

An officer said the incident took place around 9.30 pm when the Worli ANC received a call from locals about drug dealers operating near the railway quarters. A team of around 10 officers reached the spot and allegedly found foreign nationals dealing in a narcotic. The police team overpowered one of the accused, while the other fled. The accused who fled started shouting and soon, around 20-25 foreign nationals allegedly hiding near railway tracks started throwing stones, an officer said.

Assistant Police Inspector (API) Amar Marathe sustained injuries to his head, while API Sudarshan Chavan suffered injuries to his hand, back and neck. Three other constables also sustained injuries. The five were taken to JJ hospital. Marathe, who was bleeding, was given eight to 10 stitches and shifted to Bombay hospital. Chavan suffered a fracture to his hand.

Following the incident, the local JJ Marg police registered a case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC against the foreign nationals. An officer said that in the past they had arrested Nigerian nationals involved in selling cocaine at the same spot. “They knew about police jurisdictions well and hence hid around the railway tracks. Young clients come on bikes and signal to these drug dealers who then strike a deal,” the officer said.

Last month, several Nigerian nationals allegedly attacked locals of Ekta Society in Byculla after they did not allow them to stand at a spot where they allegedly supplied drugs. The Nigerian nationals had pelted stones on locals that resulted in 10 Byculla residents sustaining injuries.