Cops flee attacking gang, go back to raze illegal shanties along rly tracks

NAGPUR: A crime branch squad had to beat a hasty retreat from Motibagh slums in the early hours of Monday, after it was cornered by gangsters throwing stones. Apart from damaging the police jeep, the gangsters also hurled a burning stick towards the vehicle to set it afire, but failed. The cops retaliated later in the day by going back with a large force, and razing some illegal structures erected by the gang along railway tracks.
API DM Bhedodkar of crime branch unit three and his team of 5-6 personnel had gone to Motibagh slums to round up suspects in the attempt to murder case registered by Feroze Khan at Tehsil police station on Monday.The gang was consuming liquor and gambling at their den along the tracks.
The police team was attacked by Irfan Pir Mohd Khan alias Ippa, who has around a dozen cases against him, along with his younger brothers Naushad and Irshad, and accomplices Immu Kaliya, Swapnil Salunkhe, Pawan Moryani, Mohd Sahil, Ashraf Topi and around eight others. A crime branch constable had nearly pinned down Kaliya, but he had no support when the gangsters became more aggressive. The driver of the squad vehicle could only ensure that API Bhedodkar and his team drive out of the dingy lanes of Motibagh slums.
The crime branch squad registered an offence against Ippa gang at Pachpaoli police station.
API Bhedodkar said the gangsters were climbing the slope of the bridge to the railway tracks. “They were pelting stones from above, leaving us at a disadvantage. The stones were coming like missiles,” he said. He could not say why cops did not use their firearms on being attacked. CP K Venkatesham said there would be strict action. “Our action would speak,” he said.
Later in the day, the crime branch nabbed Moryani from his Kamal Chowk-based residence, where he also owns a hookah parlour, which was raided twice in the last two weeks. Cops from Pachpaoli, Tehsil, Lakadganj, Shanti Nagar and crime branch later marched to Motibagh slums and razed illegal structures erected by the Ippa gang along the railway tracks. Apart from gambling dens, the gang had gymnasium and rooms there.
On Sunday, Ippa gang had attacked Khan with a sword, with reports of firearms also being used. Ippa already faced Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act (MPDA), in 2015, and was also wanted in a case of extortion registered at Shanti Nagar police station but was not arrested.
The Ippa gang had targeted Khan in 2011 too, to force him to be a part of their gang and accept their dominance in Dobi locality of Mominpura. Khan did not want to join Ippa, which had triggered the assault a day ago.
In September, TOI had highlighted clashes between Ippa’s brother Irshad, who was with Moryani, at a pub at Empress Mall, with Papa and others from Abu’s gang of Tajbagh. There was no action by Ganeshpeth police after that.