Mumbai Crime: Four held for trying to set RPI leader on fire

Four men allegedly attacked Republic Party Of India (RPI) leader, Sopan Kamble with some flammable liquid and tried to set him on fire during a protest held in South Mumbai on Tuesday

RPI had called a protest to demand a CBI inquiry into the murder of Dalit writer Dr Krishna Kirwale

Four men allegedly attacked Republic Party Of India (RPI) leader, Sopan Kamble with some flammable liquid and tried to set him on fire during a protest held in South Mumbai on Tuesday. The Azad Maidan police have arrested all the four, who were part of the protest held for demanding a CBI inquiry into the murder of Dalit writer Dr Krishna Kiwale.

Sudden threats
A police source said, "While the protest was being staged outside CST, suddenly a man started shouting slogans against Kamble, to which the latter immediately reacted.

Sopan Kamble along with RPI chief Ramdas Athawale

Thereafter, another person approached Kamble with a bottle full of liquid and threatened to pour it on him. Immediately an argument broke out. Two others joined them and attacked Kamble with the liquid. However, the cops on duty detained all four of them."

Timely intervention
In his statement to the police, Kamble said, "RPI chief Ramdas Athawale has been informed about the incident."

"They had poured some of the liquid on me and were about to set me on fire. But a couple of party workers and my wife, who were part of the protest, intervened and pinned them down. Thereafter, the cops immediately arrested them," he added.

Remanded in custody
Speaking to mid-day, a police officer said, "The arrested accused have been identified as Vishal Diwar (32), Vishal Jonjade (33), Shirish Chikhalkar (49) and Vishal Gaikwad (27)."

"An FIR has been registered under section 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC. After being produced in court, they were remanded in police custody till March 10."

When contacted, the accused's advocate Sunil Pandey said, "My clients have been falsely implicated. It seems to be some kind of personal dispute."

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