30 November,2016 07:03 AM IST | | Anurag Kamble
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik files complaint against senior leader Sanjay Dina Patil for allegedly firing a round at him; five people are injured in the scuffle
An NCP party worker, who was injured in the scuffle that broke out during the party meeting in Govandi
Former MP and NCP leader Sanjay Dina Patil is wanted in a firing case after the senior politician and his supporters broke into a fight with party spokesperson Nawab Malik at a party meeting in Govandi last night. Five people, including a police inspector, were injured during the scuffle. The police have arrested four people in the case.
Malik has alleged that Patil fired a round at him. However, Patil said that he was provoked by Malik's chopper-wielding supporters.
The incident occurred during an NCP party meeting that was being held at Unique Hall in Govandi. At the meeting, a newly elected ward president was felicitated by Malik. Patil, who is the president for the North-East Mumbai district, entered the meeting at around 8.20 pm with 50 of his supporters and started raising slogans.
Within a matter of minutes, the situation went out of hand, and Malik and Patil's supporters began fighting. "Chairs were hurled between the two groups and five people, including a police inspector, were injured," said a police officer.
Nawab Malik's supporters gather outside Deonar police station to lodge a complaint against Sanjay Dina Patil. Pics/Shadab Khan
Blame game
After the incident, Malik reached the Deonar police station with 500 supporters to register a complaint against Patil. "Patil and his goons entered the venue and started threatening everybody with pistols and swords. He fired one round at me, but I escaped unhurt," alleged Malik. "Many of my supporters were badly beaten up. The police must arrest Patil and his goons immediately," he added.
Following the complaint, the police arrested four people in the case. Patil is still wanted in the case.
Nawab Malik
Meanwhile, Patil reached Pant Nagar police station and asked the police to register a complaint against Malik's supporters. "As the party's district president, I had put a stay on the appointment of the ward president," Patil said. "Despite the stay order, Malik went ahead and felicitated the president," he added.
Further, Patil said that he only got out his gun after one of Malik's supporters came after him with a chopper in hand. "I took out my licensed weapon for self-defence, but did not use it," Patil claimed. However, the Pant Nagar police are yet to register a case.
Sanjay Dina Patil
CopSpeak
Incidentally, Patil had called Shahji Umap, Zone 6, deputy commissioner of police, around 20 minutes before the incident and indicated that there was going to be trouble at the party meeting.
The DCP had ordered the Deonar police to step up security at the venue, but by the time additional force reached the site, the matter had already gone out of hand.
"It was a well planned move by Patil," one officer said, on condition of anonymity.
The police have registered a case against Patil and his supporters under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt with weapons), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (breach of peace), 506-2 (criminal intimidation), 147 (riot), 148 (rioting with weapons) and other relevant sections of the Arms Act. "We have arrested four people. Video footage available with party workers at the meeting shows Patil and his men carrying guns. We have seized Patil's gun and sent it for a ballistic test to establish whether rounds were fired," Umap said.
