Payal Banerjee
Police naik B S Dalvi arm was broken in the brawl
Police inspect the area behind Golden Wines, where Dalvi and Takale were attacked
The front side of Golden Wines
When we tried to apprehend them, they attacked us. First, three youths started beating up Takle. They then hit him with a big stone, following which he fell to the ground, unconscious. When I saw him fall, I came forward. They attacked me with rods, and fled’.— Balkrishna Shankar Dalvi,
Police Naik
Two motorcycle-borne cops from the Chatuhs-hrungi police station, who had gone to investigate reports of breach of peace at Bremen Chowk in Aundh late on Friday evening, were in for more than a surprise.
Not only were they thrashed black and blue by around 15 college-going youth, the backup force they called for was led on a merry dance around the area.
Finally, after much drama, a strong police team arrested 11 students of Spicer Memorial College from a shut down restaurant, where they were hiding.
Police said all 11 students hail from Mizoram, and in their late teens. Police also arrested two persons connected to the Maharashtra Hotel, where the youth were hiding, for abetment.
The students were arrested under IPC Sections 143, 144, 147, 148, 149, 332 and 333 and sent to the station lock-up. They were produced in court on Saturday and remanded in police custody for three days.
Police said the students were residing in the Spicer College hostel. They were identified as Michael John Loya (19), Larkhiyatpuya Sejiya (20), David John Miya (19), Rosangpuya Wawing Tulaha (20), Vanalkon Mullah (20), Laremsanga Pachao (19), Sivavequemal Lojing (19), Lallavanpurya Pachao (20), Johormachana Shorma (19), Pronon Jirmiya Mosamatali (20). Also arrested were Abdul Latif Kadawat (32) and Suresh Aande, who allegedly tried to save the youths from the police at Maharashtra hotel.
Mirror visited the injured beat cops — Constable Tanaji Mahadu Takle and Police Naik Balkrishna Shankar Dalvi — to get a first-hand account of the night gone wrong.
Reclining in his Navi Sangvi house, with a fractured hand and swollen legs, Dalvi recounted the episode. “Takle and I were on regular patrol duty in the Bremen Chowk area on a motorcycle.
At around 9.45 pm, we were intimated over wireless by the control room about trouble near Golden Wines, located near the chowk.
We immediately rushed to the spot. There are several shops in a line. Golden Wines is one of them.
There was no disturbance in front of the shops, but we could hear voices from behind the shops. We went around to the back, and found almost 15 students quarrelling.
We also noticed some of them holding bottles of Corex cough syrup, while others had beer and other liquor bottles in their hands. They were all in an inebribiated condition.”
“Upon spotting us, the students started running helter-skelter. Some of them were so drunk they couldn’t run properly.
When we tried to apprehend them, they attacked us. First, three youths started beating up Takle. They then hit him with a big stone, following which he fell to the ground, unconscious. When I saw him fall, I came forward.
They attacked me with rods, and fled. While trying to revive Takle, I sent a message over the wireless, asking for backup. I also informed that I had seen the students running towards Spicer college.
I revived Takle, who was bleeding from his mouth and forehead, helped him sit on my bike, and we both chased the students.” “Meanwhile, more police force had arrived.
We chased them into Spicer College campus. The students then took refuge inside Maharashtra Hotel, located nearby.
Two persons there helped them hide. We chased them till there and then surrounded the restaurant. We then broke open the door and entered, to find the students hiding there. The police team then got them all out of the restaurant.”
API M R Vichare, who is investigating the case, said, “The students were consuming alcohol, some were abusing Corex too. Because of this, they were already high.
We took them to Sassoon Hospital for alcohol medical tests, and then arrested them. We have also arrested two persons from Maharashtra hotel for helping the students to hide. The students were produced in court on Saturday.”