Man killed, revenue officer injured after group attacks them in Virar quarry

Vasai: A 52-year-old man was killed while he was accompanying a senior revenue official in a car to a suspected illegal quarry in Shirgaon, Virar East, after a group of around 10 men dragged him out of the vehicle and assaulted him with rocks. The duo had gone to the site for a spot panchanama. The revenue official was injured in the incident.

Virar police have registered a case against the accused, and detained a few of them. At the time of going to press, the process of arresting the detained accused was underway while a hunt was on for the others. The police are confirming if the deceased was an active RTI (Right to Information) activist.

The deceased, Atmaram Patil, worked with a local social outfit. Senior office bearers of this outfit had alleged illegal quarrying at the site and escalated this complaint on a central govt portal.

Accordingly, on Tuesday morning, revenue officer (mandal adhikari) Prabhakar Patil went to this site, and upon observation informed his senior office bearers that no illegal activity was seen.

Atmaram was thereafter sent to the site by his social outfit to guide Prabhakar in the latter’s car to the “exact spot”. When they both went further ahead with their driver, they came across a group of around 10 people.

Cops have confirmed there was previous animosity between this group and Atmaram. While Atmaram died on the spot, police said Prabhakar is undergoing treatment at a local govt hospital.

Deepak Gaikwad, Vasai tehsildar, told TOI: “On Tuesday afternoon, we had sent our staffer, Prabhakar Patil, to visit the quarry in Virar, against which we had received a complaint. This quarry in question is legal and is currently shut. Prabhakar Patil communicated as much to the complainants. But Atmaram was sent to guide us to the exact spot, where a group was already present. Soon, an argument erupted and Atmaram was attacked and killed while Prabhakar was injured in this attack and his car was damaged.”

Gaikwad said the revenue department has been aggressive in sealing all illegal quarries in the Vasai taluka and had taken action against more than a dozen of them.