Two arrested for assaulting, stabbing priests in a road rage incident

Police arrested two men and are searching for three others after two priests were stabbed in a road rage incident in Mumbai. The assault was captured on video.

MUMBAI: The police on Monday arrested two 22-year-old men and are on the lookout for three more accomplices who allegedly stabbed and assaulted two priests in a road rage incident on Saturday night.

HT Image

According to the police, the priest, identified as Ashish Kumar Dubey, 34, and his nephew performed their daily pooja at their home and left on their two-wheeler around 10.45pm towards Laljipada in Kandivali West when an unidentified motorcyclist crashed into their scooter. The men fell down and suffered injuries to their legs. Upon confronting the motorcyclist, the latter abused the men and left the spot after manhandling them.

“As the priests were hurt, they sat down for a while on the pavement before moving forward. Around 15 minutes later, when they reached the junction of Laljipada they observed that at least three men were rushing towards them with sticks and knives,” said an official.

The trio began assaulting the priests with sticks on the crowded street as bystanders watched in horror. As the two men cried for help, 22-year-old Pratham Khilare removed a knife and attacked Dubey, causing grievous injuries on his shoulder. The priests then went to Shatabdi Hospital where they were treated for the injuries.

A video of the incident went viral on Sunday, following which the Kandivali police contacted the two priests and recorded their statements. Based on their statements, the police registered an FIR against four men under several sections, including 109 (attempt to murder), and 115 (causing hurt to any person) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Out of the four men, the police have arrested Khilare and Chotu Maniyar 22. “We are on the lookout for two more men including the motorcyclist who started the assault,” said a police officer from Kandivali police station.