Mumbai youth who wanted to be a don arrested for chopping off man’s thumb

Police said Vaibhav had wanted to emulate yesteryear gangster Manya Surve. In December last year, he allegedly went to the area in Wadala where Kuttegauda lived and with an intention of striking fear in local residents, began swirling a sword, claiming to be “Manya Surve”.

A 22-year-old wannabe gangster from Wadala was arrested by police on Friday for allegedly chopping off the thumb of a 30-year-old man and causing paralysis in his left hand.

The accused has been identified as Vaibhav Surve. He was arrested from Ratnagiri, where police said he was hiding. (HT)

The accused has been identified as Vaibhav Surve. He was arrested from Ratnagiri, where police said he was hiding. The complainant was identified as KJ Kuttegauda. He runs a food stall in Wadala and told police that he had been paying protection money to Vaibhav’s goons.

Police said Vaibhav had wanted to emulate yesteryear gangster Manya Surve. In December last year, he allegedly went to the area in Wadala where Kuttegauda lived and with an intention of striking fear in local residents, began swirling a sword, claiming to be “Manya Surve”.

When Vaibhav had tried to fling the sword towards a car belonging to Kuttegauda’s friend, the latter tried to stop him. “(Vaibhav) turned towards me and cut my left hand with the sword. When I tried to stop the attack with my right hand, he cut off my thumb,” said Kuttegauda.

According to the Wadala police, Kuttegauda approached the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) on February 28 to register a complaint against Vaibhav. Kuttegauda told police that he was being threatened by Vaibhav and had been living in fear. “I was afraid even to enter Wadala fearing Vaibhav’s goons, who had threatened me often when I was in the hospital,” said Kuttegauda. As he was unable to earn a livelihood, Kuttegauda approached the police.

Rashmi Karandikar, DCP, port zone, said Kuttegauda’s friend rushed him to the hospital where he is recuperating. “Last month when the victim registered a complaint, we began tracing Surve. Last week we received information that he was hiding in Ratnagiri. We sent a team to Ratnagiri and arrested him on Friday,” said Karandikar.

The officers said Vaibhav wanted to be a gangster and had been recruiting local goons to form a gang and demand protection money from vendors and restaurant owners in the locality. “We have arrested him on the charge of attempt to murder,” said a police officer from Wadala police station.