The Mankhurd police on Monday resorted to mild lathi charge after a mob surrounded their vehicle and pelted stones at them.
Unidentified woman
The police station received a call in the afternoon about a woman being caught in the Mandala area in Mankhurd while allegedly trying to kidnap children from the locality. “We were told the situation was volatile, as another unidentified woman had been spotted in the area the previous night. When our team got there, local residents had surrounded the woman and were assaulting her. We took her into custody to prevent matters from getting worse,” an officer with the Mankhurd police said.
The officer said this gesture angered the mob even further, as they accused the police personnel of trying to shield the woman.
“The mob started following our vehicle as we were leaving and soon surrounded it. Some of the locals also pelted stones, which resulted in two constables sustaining minor injuries and the vehicle being damaged,” said another officer.
‘No serious injuries’
The police then sent out a wireless alert seeking reinforcements and all nearby patrolling units were diverted to the spot. Additional teams were also sent from the police station. The police resorted to mild lathi charge to keep the crowd at bay while reinforcements arrived. No serious injuries were reported in the incident.
The police have registered a case of unlawful assembly, rioting and assault to deter a public servant from discharging their duty, and are also verifying whether the woman had indeed entered the area with malafide intentions, officers said.