Traffic cop dragged on car bonnet for 20 km in Navi Mumbai; driver held for murder bid, drugs consumption

A traffic policeman was dragged on a car’s bonnet for around 20 km in Navi Mumbai town after he tried to stop the vehicle driver who had consumed drugs, officials said on Sunday.

The incident took place in Vashi area at around 1.30 pm on Saturday when the 37-year-old police naik, Siddeshwar Mali, was on bandobast duty on account of the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, they said.

The 22-year-old car driver, identified as Aditya Bembde, was arrested and booked on charges of attempt to murder and under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the police said.

Mali was on duty at Koparkhairane-Vashi lane when he and another policeman tried to stop the car on the suspicion that its driver had taken drugs, an official from Vashi police station said. When the two policeman sought to check the car driver, he allegedly tried to run the vehicle over Mali, as a result the policeman landed on the vehicle’s bonnet, the FIR said.

Mali clung dangerously on the bonnet, grabbing the vehicle with his hands.

The accused, instead of stopping, drove from the spot till Gavhan phata, located about 20 km away.

He drove the car speedily and the traffic cop later fell from the vehicle, the official said.

Some other policemen later chased the car driver and caught hold of him. His medical checkup revealed he had consumed drugs, the police said.

The accused was arrested and a case registered against him under Indian Penal Code Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty) and 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), and provisions of the NDPS Act, the official said.