A police sub-inspector from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city police’s crime branch has been suspended after being named in a case involving rioting and assault on police officers. This incident occurred during a clash over alleged illegal cow transport near Sawangi on Wednesday night. The suspension took place on Thursday evening as authorities responded to the allegations against the officer.
At 8.19 pm on Tuesday, a Dial 112 call alerted police about a pickup vehicle allegedly transporting cattle for slaughter from Vaijapur via Samruddhi toll naka at Savangi, according to the complaint. When police reached the spot around 8.55 pm, they found 20-25 self-proclaimed ‘gaurakshaks’ who claimed they had chased the pickup for nearly 10 km suspecting illegal transport of cattle. The pickup driver allegedly lost control due to the aggressive tailing and rammed into a hillock after landing in a ditch.
An officer from rural police said, “While being posted in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar rural, he was punished thrice, including by range’s special IGP for his indiscipline and similar overzealous and unruly acts. Seven cattle were found in the vehicle. The complaint states that Shelke allegedly poured petrol from a plastic bottle on the vehicle and attempted to set it ablaze. Some members of the mob were live-streaming the incident on mobile phones. Police detained Shelke, Jadhav and Janjal, but during the scuffle, the API was heckled and pushed to the ground and PSI was struck on the hand and suffered a swelling near his eyebrow, while a constable was kicked and manhandled. The accused allegedly hurled abuses at the police.
An officer from the city police said, “Recently, he was deputed for police recruitment drive, but he went on sick leave till completion of the recruitment drive and resumed duty only on Monday.
On receiving a written report from rural police about PSI Navnath Patwadkar’s alleged instigation, aggressive and abusive behaviour with the police officers, city police commissioner Pravin Pawar placed him under suspension, while rural superintendent of police Dr Vinaykumar Rathod appointed Karmad PI Samratsingh Rajput as the investigation officer to ensure a fair probe in the FIR registered against 25 suspect including PSI Navnath Patwadkar, four identified and 20 unidentified gaurakshaks. The FIR was lodged by police constable Anil Madanrsingh Ghusinge (38), attached to Phulambri police station.