Navi Mumbai: Man shot by BJP MLA held after firing incident in Panvel

Rahul Patil, a local party politician who was injured at Hill Line police station when BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad fired at his rival Mahesh Gaikwad last month, has been arrested after a video of a man firing a round in the air went viral on social media.

The police said the incident took place after a bullock cart race was held on an open ground at Panvel. The team which lost the race, in anger, created a ruckus and one of them fired the gun. The Panvel City police registered a case against 10 to 15 people in connection with the case and are in search of other accused, including the man who fired the round.

Rahul Patil is infamous for bullock cart racing across Raigad and Thane districts. He was also involved in earlier such firing incidents.

The incident

The complainant, Abhaysingh Patil, 39, a constable attached with the Panvel police station, said the race took place on March 12 at 5 pm near an open plot in Dugi village near the river at Pargaon in Panvel and residents from nearby villages participated. “Rivals Rahul Patil and Jayesh Patil’s bullock carts were in the race, and the latter won the event. The followers of Jayesh Patil celebrated the victory and even took selfies with the bullocks who won the race,” said a police officer.

An angry Rahul Patil then allegedly got some followers together and they began abusing the merrymakers. Also, few of them even pelted stones and tried to assault the winning team’s followers,” said a police officer.

A video of the firing incident was captured by someone present at the spot and it went viral on social media.

Nitin Thakre, senior police inspector, Panvel city police, said the matter was being investigated.

The cops have registered a case under Sections 141, 143, 147, 148, 149, 294 and 336 of the Indian Penal Code as well as sections of the Arms Act.
“Based on the viral video, a case has been registered. The man who had fired a round just to show off will be identified. We will see if he has a criminal record. If his firearm is licensed, it will be ensured that his licence is cancelled and strict action is taken against him,” said a police officer.

‘The man who had fired a round just to show off will be identified. We will see if he has a criminal record’.