Group of Nigerian drug peddlers pelt stones at cops; five injured

As cops catch drug peddler, 25-30 Nigerian nationals attack them; no arrests made yet

Five policemen of the Worli unit of anti-narcotics cell (ANC) were attacked by a group of 25-30 Nigerian nationals in Byculla on Thursday night, when they tried to catch one Nigerian national selling cocaine. While the policemen suffered serious injuries, no arrests have been made yet.

Assistant police inspector Amar Marathe, one of the policemen injured in Thursday’s attack. (HT PHOTO)

Around 9:30pm, a team of seven police personnel, including two assistant police inspectors (API) Amar Marathe and Sudarshan Chavan, laid a trap in a lane near Buddha Vihar temple, a few metres from the railway colony in Byculla. The team spotted a Nigerian national handing over cocaine to a man on a bike. As they caught him, he started to argue and scream. “When we tried to get him on to the road, the group came from nowhere, and started to throw stones at us,” said Amar Marathe, who suffered serious head injuries and was admitted to Bombay Hospital.

In the melee, Chavan fractured his right hand, while three constables suffered injuries to their legs and hands, said deputy commissioner of police Shivdeep Lande. “They could have killed us. Thankfully, I was not carrying my weapon or they would have snatched it and shot us dead,” said Marathe. The team somehow managed to get away from the mob, but got no help, with taxi drivers, too, refusing to take them to a hospital.

Neither the railway nor Mumbai police take action against the peddlers. “Nigerians don’t stay near the railway line. The ANC should conduct regular raids along with GRP to stop drug peddling,” said Niket Kaushik, commissioner (GRP).

The JJ Marg police have registered a case under section of 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 326 ( voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or mean), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 387 (putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal code.