Mumbai: Clean-up marshal breaks 33-yr-old's jaw for spitting; held

Chetan Mhatre, the supervisor who asked the other marshal to assault Mahesh. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

The Mulund police have arrested a clean up marshal supervisor for hurling a paver block at a citizen over non-payment of fine for spitting on the road. The incident left the victim Mahesh Bhagat with the loss of two teeth and a broken upper jaw.

Mahesh Bhagat suffered two broken teeth and a fractured upper jaw after the incident

Assault begins
On Saturday night near Mulund station, Bhagat spat on the ground. Two clean up marshals approached him and demanded Rs 500 as a fine. "I told them I don't have that much money. They started abusing me. They tried to check my pockets; it was humiliating. I tried to resist but they were getting rough and also started abusing me. Then I decided to run away," recalled the 33-year-old.

Then another person approached the spot and told both the marshals to beat up Bhagat. He tried desperately to run away, but both the marshals held him and started punching him on the face and stomach. One of them then picked up a paver block and hit on Bhagat's jaw. "Blood came out of my mouth, I couldn't even understand what I should do. People gathered and objected [to the incident]; they caught one person and other ran away," added Bhagat.

Cops arrive
Till then, someone from the crowd had called the Mumbai Police control room. A mobile van from Mulund Police station reached in no time and they nabbed a clean up marshal from the spot and took him to Mulund police station. He was identified as Chetan Mhatre, a clean up supervisor who asked the other marshal to assault Mahesh.

"We have nabbed Chetan, who is in police custody till February 28. Another marshal named Kunal Bhanushali is absconding. He hit Bhagat with the paver block," said Rajaram Vhanmane, senior PI, Mulund police station, adding, "Kunal and one more marshal are absconding." We have booked them under sections 326 (voluntary causing grievous hurt), 323 (punishment for voluntary causing hurt), 504 (Breach of the peace), 114 (abettor present when offence is committed) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Relatives bear expenses
Bhagat's wife Kalawati said, "My husband is the breadwinner of the family. I got a call saying my husband has to be moved from Mulund general hospital as he had sustained a fracture and needs treatment. His condition was serious so we shifted him to Fortis Hospital who charged us Rs 40,000. Since the expenses were high and my husband is a daily wage employee, we have shifted him to another hospital in Mulund East. Our relatives are bearing the expenses."