3 days on, no trace of Askarwadi assailants

Pune: Police are yet to arrest any of the nearly 150 people accused of assaulting 14 men at Askarwadi near Bopdev Ghat on March 13."We have identified three men involved in the case. Our teams visited their homes in Askarwadi and adjoining villages and found they have fled. We are trying to trace them," said inspector Kumar Kadam of the Saswad police.A group of around 150 people allegedly beat up the 14 men from Kondhwa who had assembled close to a lake at Askarwadi for Ramzan Iftar around 7pm on March 13. They had barely opened their food packets when the group of 150-odd men carrying sticks, sharp weapons, whips and stones reached the spot on about 100 two-wheelers and started abusing and assaulting them, complainant Feroz Sayyed (36) had said in the FIR with the Saswad police.Kadam said, "CCTV footage from eateries and other establishments at Askarwadi and adjoining villages are unclear. All that we can see in the footage is some men, armed with sticks and whips, on two-wheelers."Sayyed (36) said, "We discussed the issue with superintendent of police (Pune rural) Sandeep Singh Gill on Monday. He said stern action would be taken against the assailants."