Mumbai traffic cop dragged on car bonnet for straight 20 km; driver held

A car driver in Navi Mumbai, apparently on drugs, dragged a traffic policeman on the bonnet of his vehicle for around 20 km straight after he tried to stop the vehicle. The incident took place at around 1.30 pm on Saturday at Koparkhairane-Vashi lane when the 37-year-old police naik, Siddeshwar Mali, was on bandobast duty on account of the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The driver, identified as a 22-year-old Aditya Bembde, was arrested and booked on charges of attempt to murder and under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, as per the police.

The incident took place when Mali and one other policeman tried to stop the car on the suspicion that its driver had taken drugs. When the two policemen sought to check the car driver, he allegedly tried to run the vehicle over Mali, as a result of which, the cop landed on the vehicle's bonnet, as per the FIR report.

Mali clung to the bonnet with his hands grabbing the vehicle yet, the accused did not stop the vehicle until he reached Gavhan phata, located about 20 km away from the incident spot. Due to over speeding, the cop later fell off from the vehicle, the report stated.

The car was chased by some policemen and they later managed to catch hold of the drugged driver. Medical check up revealed that the 22-year-old was driving in a drugged state. After being arrested, a case was registered against him under Indian Penal Code Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty) and 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), and provisions of the NDPS Act, an official said.

(with inputs from PTI)