MLA attacked with sword after dandiya night, escapes unhurt

MUMBAI: A group of unidentified persons attacked the bodyguard and a supporter of Shiv Sena MLA Tukaram Kate in Mankhurd early on Saturday. A police constable, Yeshwar Durugade, who was deployed as the MLA's bodyguard, and party worker Kiran Sawant were injured in the attack. Kate, who represents the Anushakti Nagar assembly constituency, escaped unhurt.
Kate was returning with his supporters after participating in a Navratri celebration when the incident took place between midnight and 12.15 am in Maharashtra Nagar locality. A sword which was used in the attack has been found. A case of attempt to murder has been registered. The assailants fled in a car.

Sawant, the party worker, sustained injuries to the fingers while fend off the attacker. Sawant and the injured constable were rushed to a nearby hospital. They are reported to be out of danger.

The police said they are working to track down the accused and probe the motive behind the attack. "We have booked five to six people for attempt to murder," said a senior police officer. The police suspect that the assailants fled the locality soon after the attack.

The police said one theory being explored is that the attack is the handiwork of contractors dumping debris collected from the proposed Metro car shed site in the locality where the attack took place.

"Locals had agitated against the dumping of the debris near their area. Work on the Metro car shed work is going on and several trucks and dumpers used to pass from the area to dump the debris. The residents had held a morcha and Kate had supported them. The police are also probing the role of some people connected with this issue to see if they had any role to play in this attack," said an officer. "The police are also trying to collect the CCTV footage from the area to identify the assailants and to try and piece together the sequence of events," said a police source.