Lucky coins save tea vendor's bum

While Amitabh Bachchan, or rather the protagonist Vijay in Deewar, was in the habit of keeping a billa no 786 close to his chest, tea stall owneru00a0Sanjay Mayekar always had a cluster of Rs 10 coins in the back pockets of his trousers. And like Vijay, Sanjay's fixation helped him stave off a bullet wound.

Rearguard action: 1) Three robbers stop cushion dealer Pundalik Sawant near Kumbharwada. One points a country-made pistol at him and asks for his bag.

2) Pundalik yields, but as the robbers start to run, his friends give chase, shouting ‘chor chor'. Hearing this, some volunteers from a nearby Navratri Mandal, including Sanjay Mayekar, start following the culprits.

3) As Sanjay catches up, the gun-toting robber shoots into the ground. The bullet ricochets and hits Sanjay in the bum. But he is saved by the Rs 10 coins in his pockets. illustration/Amit Bandre

The incident took place yesterday afternoon. Pundalik Sawant, a cushion dealer from Kundal, Sindhudurg had come to purchase some raw materials at the Do Taki road.

Trigger effect
"After the transaction was done, Pundalik and two of his friends were headed towards Kumbharwada when three people approached them, flaunted a country-made pistol, and asked the cushion dealer to hand over his bag," said Shashikant Surve, senior inspector of JJ Marg police station.

Chase begins
Pundalik complied, but when the trio started fleeing his friends gave chase, shouting ‘chor chor.'

Hearing the hubbub some volunteers from the Bhandari Street First Kumbharwada Cross Lane Navratri Mandal also started trailing the robbers. One of the pursuers was Sanjay Mayekar.

"Sanjay managed to catch up with the offenders and pulled the bag causing cash from it to start falling. Seeing this, one of the yet unidentified robbers fired a round from the pistol towards the ground. "However, the bullet ricocheted off the floor and hit Sanjay on the left side of his buttocks. But as he was carrying lots of Rs 10 coins in his back pockets, he only received a bruise," said Surve.

Trip to the hospital
Oblivious of what had just transpired, Sanjay continued chasing the robbers till he realised something had hit him. He was taken to JJ Hospital by his friend Parag Washile.

Police said Sanjay has a hobby of collecting Rs 10 coins. "We have registered a case of robbery and are checking the CCTV footage of various shops in the vicinity to identify the robbers. We will also get their descriptions from Sanjay on Friday after he is discharged and sketches will be prepared," said Surve.

By God's grace
Cops have recovered Rs 4,000 of the Rs 40,000 the accused had snatched. While speaking to MiD DAY, Sanjay said, "Minutes ago I was announcing details of the bhog distribution programme organised by the mandal. It seems the goddess saved me."u00a0