5 cops wounded during scuffle with residents during helmet checking drive

Five policemen, including a junior-level officer, were injured after being attacked by motorbike riders and local residents during a helmet checking drive here, police said Thursday. Six people were arrested in connection with the incident which took place at Malkhamba Chowk in suburban Andheri Wednesday afternoon when a drive was on against motorcycle riders driving without helmets, an official said.

During the drive, the police stopped a 28-year-old motorcycle rider, Noman Kharodia, who was without a helmet, he said. Kharodia, a businessman, was asked to pay fine but instead of doing so, he started arguing with policemen, the official said. When the policemen asked him to show his motorcycle's papers and driving licence, Kharodia started shouting and punched a constable, he said. The police then caught Kharodia and made him sit in their vehicle to take him to the police station for further legal action, he said.

Kharodia started screaming and attacked a 28-year-old constable, Sagar Kondvilkar, with a bunch of keys, he said. A key pierced the hand of the constable and caused bleeding, following which Kharodia got off the vehicle and started running, the official said. The injured constable along with his colleagues chased and caught Kharodia and in the process, his dress got soaked in blood, he said. In the meantime, some locals gathered at the spot and started arguing with the police as they thought Kharodia has been thrashed, the official said.

A scuffle broke out with between the policemen on one side and Kharodia, two other motorbike riders who were penalised and a group of locals on the other, he said. In all, five policemen were injured, including inspector Gajanan Sargar, whose finger was fractured in the scuffle, he said. The group also tried to damage the police vehicle, the official said. "We have registered an offence against the group and arrested six persons, including Kharodia, under relevant sections of the IPC," he said. All of them were produced before a court, which sent them in police custody till January 5, he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)