In a dramatic incident, a traffic police constable at Vasai while doing duty on Sunday evening signaled a car to stop as it had jumped the signal.
Instead, the car driver allegedly drove towards the constable and as an immediate measure, the constable jumped on the bonnet of the i20 hatchback and held on to the car for almost one-and-a-half kilometers till the police and other passersby came to his rescue.
The police have booked the car driver on charges of attempting to commit murder.
According to the Manikpur police, the complainant in the case is Somnath Chaudhary, who is posted with the traffic branch of the Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar police. Around 7:15 pm, when Chaudhary was manning traffic between Vasai and Gokhiware Main Road at Vasantgiri signal, he saw a car had jumped a red signal which led to a traffic commotion.
Constable Chaudhary then signaled the car driver to stop, but the driver instead sped towards him. In a desperate attempt to save his life, Chaudhary jumped on the bonnet and held the car.
Other drivers blocked accused's path
"Constable Chaudhary kept telling the driver to stop, but the driver did not pay any heed and kept driving with the intention that Chaudhary fell off the car. The driver also posed danger to other vehicles near him since he was driving in a rash manner. At Gokhiware Range Naka, drivers of other vehicles blocked the road to stop the errant driver.
"The driver then tried to flee the scene but was caught by those present at the spot. The driver drove his car for nearly 1.5 kilometers with Chaudhary held on to its bonnet from Vasantgiri signal till Range Naka," senior police inspector Sampatrao Patil of Manikpur police station told FPJ.
Accused booked for attempt to murder
PI Patil added, "The 19-year-old driver, a resident of Vasai was then brought to the police station where an offence was registered against him. He was produced before the court on Monday which remanded him to police custody till February 16.
He has been booked under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act."
