Four men brutally attacked and thrashed a 34-year-old courier delivery man who asked them to return his lighter. The incident happened in the Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, located in Ghatkopar east, at around 1.15 am on Friday when the victim, Shahid Khan, was returning home from work.
The Unfolding Confrontation
According to Khan's statement to the police, when he reached near Gausiya Masjid located in Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, which is minutes away from his house, one man with approached him and asked for a lighter for his cigarette.
Khan who had one in his pocket, gave him the lighter. "He lit his cigarette and I waited for him to voluntarily return as it was already late, and I wanted to go home. However, since he did not give it back, I asked for it - twice. The second time he started abusing me and asked me why I am in such a hurry, then proceeded to call his three friends," said Khan to the police.
After calling his three friends, they started arguing which escalated into them thrashing Khan. "A moment later, a man named Jatin told his other friend to pick up a rod and a bamboo (lying across) which they used to hit me on my face, head, shoulder and back, brutally. The other two also punched and kicked me back and forth on my stomach and back," added Khan.
Escape and Aftermath
After the entire episode, the four accused simply left the spot which is when Khan managed to run away and reached home, narrated the entire thing to his wife, who informed the same to Khan's brother. They all immediately left to go to Rajawadi hospital given Khan was bleeding and bruised black and blue, said Khan's brother to the cops.
The morning of Friday the police were informed who reached to record the statements of Khan and his wife and brother. Based on Khan's statement, the cops jotted down four names Jatin, Malto, Mahindar and Vishal, which he overheard during the fight.
AIMIM leader Waris Pathan raised concern about the incident through his social media post. In a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Pathan questioned that who is spreading so much hatred in the society for such crimes to occur. The post features a video in which the victim's wife has narrated the ordeal of the attack on her husband and has also demanded for justice in the matter.
Police Investigation and Arrests
Using informants and available CCTV camera footage, police traced the four accused, who are identified as Jatin Sanjay Singh, 28, Vishal Gautam Jadhav, 27, Kshitik alias Datta Kamble (Malto), 22, and Mahendra Mukesh Singh, 21.
All of the four were arrested on Friday night.
Alleged Communal Angle
Meanwhile, Khan's family has alleged that this entire fight has a communal angle to it. According to victim's brother, Khan was made to chant "Jai Shree Ram" by the four accused, and that it was not a simple matter of one not providing the lighter to another, said Asif, Khan's brother on Saturday evening while the entire family were at Rajawadi Hospital. However, the senior police inspector of Pant Nagar Police, Ravidatta Sawant, has denied all the allegations of a communal angle to the case. He said, "They were all under the influence of alcohol and the lighter matter just triggered the matter. No communal angle to it."
Injuries and Legal Proceedings
Shahid Khan sustained a severe fracture on his nose and skull. For further treatment, Asif said that they are looking for another hospital.
The four accused are arrested under the charges of sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt using a dangerous weapon or means), 326 (causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code. They were presented in court on Saturday morning and were remanded to police custody till August 22.
