Thane: Three policemen of Andheri MIDC police station were injured when they were attacked by stone-pelting mob at Ambiveli railway station around 10.30 pm on Wednesday.
The police arrested a chain thief, Onu Lala Irish (20), from Irani Basti, a chain thief hideout near Ambivli station, before returning to Mumbai. . API Yashwant Palve of Andheri (East) MIDC police station suffered head injuries in the attack, while two police officers sustained minor scratches. Parve has been admitted to a private hospital.
Mumbai Police said the team is looking for the perpetrators of the theft.
After the incident, the local Khadakpada police registered a case against 20 to 25 people and detained four of them. Searches have begun for the remaining accused.
Police have been attacked similarly by relatives of chain snatchers from Basti, Iran, in the past, but this was the first time they entered a train station and attacked police.
About four days ago, a woman was attacked by a chain snatcher while taking a morning walk in Andheri (East). Police informants identified the three defendants as residents of Ambivley. To arrest them, a team of three police officers and 13 constables from Mumbai Police reached Ambivli.
At the time of the incident, police detained Onu, who was also allegedly involved in several other chain snatching cases.
When they brought him to Andheri, his relatives threw stones at him to free him.
A viral video of the attack also shows the police taking the accused into the senior conductor’s office when a mob, including some children, started pelting stones at him. Meanwhile, some women were seen releasing Onu from police custody and leaving with him.
“In this case, a crime has been registered against 20 to 25 people and four accused have been detained. Search of the remaining accused is on,” said Atul Zende, DCP of Kalyan district.
Meanwhile, senior police officer Pandarinath Kande of Kalyan GRP said that Kalyan GRP has started registering a separate FIR against the goon, who also damaged railway property by illegally entering the railway premises.
