Mumbai: Former cop shoots at sons, one dead, another injured

A 33-year-old man died while another sustained injures after their septuagenarian father, a retired assistant sub-inspector (ASI), fired at them Monday in Navi Mumbai’s Airoli area following an argument over the payment of a car insurance, police said.

The Rabale police have detained former ASI, Bhagwan Patil (74), on charges of murder and attempt to murder under IPC sections. Police suspect that Patil may have consumed alcohol at the time of the incident and they taken his blood sample for a test.

Vijay (33), who sustained three bullet injuries, including two in the stomach and one in an arm, succumbed while undergoing treatment later in the night. His younger brother, Sujay (31), sustained minor injuries as a bullet brushed his ribs, police said.

The incident took place around 6.30 pm Monday at Patil’s Airoli Sector 3 residence. According to the police, Vijay, who lives in Vasai, had received a call from an insurance company for the payment of a vehicle premium owned by his father. When he called Patil for the same, police said, an argument broke out between the two.

Patil, police said, told his sons to come over to his house to discuss and settle the matter. Following which both of them reached home around 6 pm and again an argument broke out between them.

In a fit of rage, police said, Patil pulled out his revolver and fired a few rounds at his sons. “Both the brothers were living separately from the father due to the family disputes. We have detained Patil and are in the process of registering an FIR. We have seized the firearm used in the crime and verifying whether it is a licensed revolver,” Yogesh Gawade, Senior Police Inspector of Rabale police station, said. Police said a few years ago Patil had brandished a weapon at a corporator, who is their relative, and threatened him. “We are checking if there are any other criminal offences registered against Patil,” an officer said.