Koyta gang terror in Yerawada

The ‘Koyta Gang’ roams the streets night and day, participates in violent activities such as robbing women of their jewellery, stealing, looting, vandalising cars, and ransacking hotels

PUNE: The Pune city police on Sunday detained four minors for attacking a youth and his friend with a Koyta (sickle) and causing terror over an old gang rivalry in the Yerawada area.

Recently, the Pune police had launched a massive search for members of the ‘Koyta Gang. (PIC FROM VIDEO GRAB)

The complainant, Abdulla Khan, 19, a resident of Laxmi Nagar Yerawada, and his friend Mahesh Mishra were on their way home at around 10 pm on Saturday when a group of four minors intercepted Khan over an old gang rivalry. After an initial exchange of words, the minors attacked Khan and his friend with a Koyta and wooden sticks, and beat them up badly. They hit Khan on his head with the Koyta causing him to be grievously injured. Khan and his friend were taken to the hospital for further medical treatment immediately after the incident.

Later at around 11.30 pm, Sharad Pramod Ingale, 27, a resident of Laxmi Nagar Yerawada; and Vivek Prakash Gawali, 20, also a resident of Laxmi Nagar Yerawada; along with five other minors created terror in the Santosh Mitra Mandal area just to settle the score. According to the police, Ingale, Gawali and the five minors attacked with Koytas the four minors who had previously assaulted Khan and his friend, and told them to keep away from members of their gang. Later, Ingale, Gawali and the five minors pelted stones, smashed glass bottles, vandalised vehicles parked on the road and created a ruckus in the area, even flashing Koytas at the locals and threatening to kill them if they intervened. One of the four minors who had attacked Khan suffered injuries and was taken to hospital for further medical treatment.

Vishal Patil, police sub-inspector, said, “The incident occurred due to an old gang rivalry. Later, Ingale and Gawali attacked one of the minors and created terror in the area to settle scores. Both sides lodged complaints against each other. As of now, we have detained the four minors and arrested Ingale and Gawali for attacking them and spreading terror in the area. Further investigation is underway.”

Recently, the Pune police had launched a massive search for members of the ‘Koyata Gang’. As part of the plan, a list of criminals had been drawn up in every police station across the city. Earlier, leader of the opposition Ajit Pawar had demanded action against members of the gang after which the Hadapsar police had formed special teams to identify and nab the accused. “The ‘Koyta Gang’ roams the streets night and day, participates in violent activities such as robbing women of their jewellery, stealing, looting, vandalising cars, and ransacking hotels without paying food bills. Strict action should be taken by the police to maintain law and order and to prevent the proliferation of the ‘Koyta Gang’. Their terror must be broken at any cost,” Pawar had said while raising the issue in the assembly.

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Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and MP Supriya Sule attacked home minister Devendra Fadnavis over the rising ‘Koyata Gang’ menace in and around the city. “The Koyta Gang menace is increasing in the city; crimes are on the rise in the city and in rural parts of the district, including those against women. All these go to show the failure of the home ministry,” she said. Holding the home minister accountable for all such incidents, she said he should resign if unable to handle this.