65-yr-old’s car vandalised in road rage incident

A 65-year-old man was assaulted in a road rage incident in Navi Mumbai after honking at a tempo driver; police are investigating four unidentified assailants.

NAVI MUMBAI: A 65-year-old retired financial consultant who honked at a tempo driver in the middle lane was assaulted in a road rage incident on Palm Beach Road on Tuesday. The incident, which unfolded around 3.25pm near Akshar Chowk Signal in Seawoods, involved four unidentified assailants.

(Shutterstock)

The victim, Radheyshyam Govardhan Mundada, a Vashi resident, said he was driving towards the Belapur court when he saw an overloaded tempo in front of him, allegedly driving slowly in the middle lane. “I signalled the driver to get on the correct lane and moved ahead,” said Mundaha. According to the complaint, the tempo overtook him and abruptly stopped in front of his car, blocking the path. At the same time, another tempo stopped behind Mundada’s car, to prevent him from reversing.

Two individuals alighted from each tempo, said Mundaha, and began to act violently, Mundada said. The men allegedly verbally abused him, smashed his car’s front side mirror, and forcefully hit the bonnet. One of the accused jumped onto the bonnet while another damaged the driver-side window. Fearing for his life, Mundada began driving towards his destination, Belapur court, with one of the attackers still seated on the bonnet. “I knew I would find police assistance in the court premises. I drove there for safety,” he said.

The accused was briefly detained by the police station at the court complex and was let go. “I had asked the court police to hold onto the accused as I had dialled 100 and went to attend my case. After 40 minutes when I returned, I realised the accused was allowed to go,” said the complainant.

A case was registered under sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 352 (intentional insult) and 324(4) (mischief) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, against four unidentified individuals, aged between 25 and 30 years. Police officials said they are investigating to identify and apprehend the culprits.