E-Paper
Ink attack on Patil: 11 cops suspended for alleged security lapse; three arrested, journalist detained
The local police have arrested three accused and charged them with a murder attempt and criminal conspiracy
Pimpri-Chinchwad police on Sunday suspended 11 personnel, including three officers, in connection with an incident in which ink was thrown at Maharashtra cabinet minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Chandrakant Patil on Saturday, officials said.
“Action has been taken against the officials and police personnel for dereliction of duty while providing security to the minister,” Pimpri-Chinchwad police said in a statement.
Local police have arrested three persons and charged them with criminal conspiracy and attempt to murder. They detained a television journalist on Sunday, hours after the three arrests, since he was on the spot covering the incident, officials said.
“We are investigating the role of the journalist and he has not been arrested yet,” Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissioner Ankush Shinde said.
Shinde issued the suspension order after concerns were raised over the minister’s safety despite an earlier alert issued in response to several organisations calling for a protest against Patil’s remarks on B R Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule.
Police inspector Satish Nandorkar, sub-inspectors Pradeepsingh Sisode and Ganesh Mane, assistant sub-inspectors Bhausaheb Sarode and Deepak Kharat, constable Pramod Vetal, naiks Deva Shivaji and Sagar Avsare and women police constables Kanchan Ghawale and Priyanka Gujar have been suspended.
The three arrested have been identified as Manoj Gharbade, Dhananjay Ijjgaj and Vijay Ovhal, while the journalist in detention is a Pimpri-Chinchwad-based correspondent for a Marathi television channel. The three suspects are associated with Samata Sainik Dal, an organisation founded by Ambedkar in 1924 and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, a political party founded by Prakash Ambedkar in 2018, police said.
The authorities have invoked Indian Penal Code sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120b (criminal conspiracy), 355 (assault to dishonour), 500 (defamation) and 34 (acts carried out by several persons with common intention) against three persons.
Earlier in the day, minister Patil sought an investigation into the reporter who was present on the scene when the attack occurred. “How did this journalist get the precise angle of the ink attack? Police should activate their cyber division and conduct a thorough investigation,” Patil said.
He had urged deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and chief minister Eknath Shinde to refrain from taking action against any police personnel.
Earlier this week, Patil had courted controversy while speaking in Paithan, when he said Ambedkar and Phule went to people and “begged” to start schools. However, as sharp reactions started coming in over the use of the word begged, Patil on Saturday morning apologised for his remarks.
“I have great respect for both these icons,” he said. “I apologise if anyone is hurt by my remarks.”
Even after his apology, various organisations staged agitations, prompting police to beef up security around him.
The BJP condemned the attack and protested at the district collectorate under the leadership of Pune unit chief Jagdish Mulik. “The ambush was carried out with the intention of injuring Patil. We demand strict action against those who carried out such an attack,” Mulik said.
Fadnavis described the incident as unfortunate. “This is a serious and unfortunate situation. What Chandrakant Patil meant was that people like Ambedkar and Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil never sought government subsidies and instead collected money from people to build institutions,” Fadnavis said.
