Stone pelting on ST bus, passengers assaulted, threatened with pistol

Pune – NP NEWS NETWORK-A group of about 10 men and women from Irani community stopped a state transport bus near Patil Estate in Wakadewadi on the Old Pune-Mumbai Highway and attacked the passengers. One woman even brandished a pistol and threatened the passengers.

The incident took place around 4 pm on Tuesday. Due to stone pelting, front glass of the bus was damaged.

The bus driver Sandip Babu Pagare (30) of Nashik has lodged an FIR in this regard with Khadki police station.

According to police, Pagare was driving the bus from Pune to Nashik, when two youths on a motorcycle came in front and blocked the way near Patil Estate. They entered the bus and started abusing and assaulting passengers. They pelted stones at the front glass caused damage worth Rs 22,000. Then 6-7 men and women also entered the bus and started abusing and beating passengers. One of the accused women, Mariyam Shaikh took out a countrymade pistol and threatened the passengers. In the melee, the bus conductor lost Rs 4274 collected from sale of tickets.

Police have arrested Zameer Kambar Irani (19) and booked Mehendi Kambar Irani, Hassan Munna Irani, Jainab Fida Irani, all residents of Mahatma Gandhi Vasahat, Irani vasti in Shivajinagar, Mariyam Salim Shaikh of Patil Estate slum and 6-7 other persons.

Police have charged them for offences 353 (obstructing public servant from discharging official duty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), unlawful assembly, rioting under the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.