Mumbai police constable dies after gang of thieves injects him with poison as he tries to recover phone from them

Representational Image

A 30-year-old constable posted with the Local Arms unit of the Mumbai police died in a hospital, days after a gang of robbers and drug addicts allegedly injected him with a poisonous substance on railway tracks while he struggled to recover his phone from them, an official said on Thursday, reported news agency PTI.

The Mumbai police constable, Vishal Pawar, was a resident of Thane. He was admitted to a hospital in Thane, but lost the battle for life three days later on May 1, he said, reported PTI.

"The incident occurred around 9.30 pm on April 28 when Pawar was going for duty on board a suburban train in plain clothes," the official said, reported PTI.

The Mumbai police constable was standing near the door and was talking on his phone. As the train slowed down between Sion and Matunga stations in Mumbai, an unidentified man standing near the tracks hit Pawar's hand, due to which his mobile phone fell down, he said.

The accused picked up the phone and started running between the tracks. As the train was slow, Pawar got down and started chasing the thief. After some distance, he was surrounded by a group of drug addicts and soon a scuffle broke out between them. They started pushing and manhandling Pawar, the police official said.

"During the scuffle, one of the accused persons injected the Mumbai police constable with a poisonous substance on his back while others held him," he said, adding that they also poured a red colour liquid in his mouth, reported PTI.

Pawar fell unconscious. He regained his consciousness the next morning and managed to return home, the official added, reported PTI.

But as his condition worsened, his family members shifted him to a hospital in Thane city. Officials of the Kopri police station recorded his statement and registered a case against unidentified persons. The case was then transferred to the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Dadar, reported PTI.

"During the treatment, Pawar's health deteriorated and he died on Wednesday," the official said, reported PTI.

The GRP officials have launched a probe in the case and they have formed several teams to nab the accused, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)