Three history-sheeters held for attacking cops with knife in Mumbai

Three history-sheeters have been arrested for allegedly attacking two policemen with a knife when they tried to prevent a vehicle theft in the eastern suburb of Vikhroli here, an official said on Thursday.

The incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday when two constables received a tip-off that a gang was traveling towards a nearby highway with a stolen tempo, the official from Parksite police station said.

As constables Deepak Lohane and Rahul Navale tried to intercept the vehicle, two motorcycle-borne men cornered them, attacked them with a knife, and fled the spot, he said.

The police swung into action and apprehended the accused Shahabuddin Abdullah Savat alias Cheera (21), Ashfaque Sawant (20), and Kumel Abid Sayyed alias Shahrukh (28), within 12 hours of the attack, the official said.

The trio are residents of Deonar and Shivaji Nagar localities and had stolen the tempo to steal scraps from construction sites on the highway, he said, adding the accused are habitual offenders.

“We have seized the stolen vehicle and the weapon used in the crime. Other members of the gang will be arrested soon,” senior inspector Vinayak Mer of Parksite police station said.