Vehicle without number plate hits excise SUV, pushing it into a pit, in Palghar; One official suffers serious head injuries
Excise constable Vinayak Ghadge suffered serious head injuries in the attack; (right) The excise vehicle was badly damaged after it fell into the pit
An excise team from Palghar was attacked by the liquor mafia on Friday when it was chasing a vehicle loaded with alcohol. A second vehicle used by the audacious smugglers hit the excise SUV and pushed it off the road. The incident left an official with serious head injuries, while two others in their vehicle escaped with minor wounds. Officials said the booze was being taken to poll-bound and dry Gujarat.
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Excise officials said they had inputs about a huge consignment of liquor being transported to Gujarat via Kurje village and laid a trap. “As per the information, a suspected vehicle came through the route around 5.30 a.m. Our officials tried to stop the vehicle because it had no number plate and was loaded with illegal liquor, but the driver didn’t stop,” said SS Amberkar, excise inspector from the Palghar unit.
But the officials didn’t expect the next turn of events in their wildest dreams. “As we launched the chase, another vehicle without a number plate dashed into our car at full speed from behind and then from the right side. The excise vehicle fell into a pit and got badly damaged,” said Amberkar.
Also read: Maharashtra: Alcohol worth Rs 21 lakh, meant for poll-bound Gujarat, seized
The official said a constable named Vinayak Ghadge, excise driver Padvi, and a panch witness suffered injuries and were taken to the hospital. While Ghadge has serious injuries on his head, the other two got minor wounds and are out of danger.
Excise officials have identified the three people in the two vehicles as Simon Kachra, Vikram Raut, and Vinayak Bari. They said the three have a criminal past and were previously involved in a liquor smuggling case. They had also signed a bond of good behaviour with Customs officials.
The Talsari police have registered a case under IPC sections including for an attempt to murder.
Dec 1
Date of first phase of Gujarat polls
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