Mizoram Students Beat up 2 Cops, 11 Arrested

Pune, Sep 19 : A dispute between students in Aundh turned ugly when two policemen who tried to intervene were beaten up by them.

Eleven students from Mizoram and two hotel employees have been held on charges of rioting, attempted murder and causing grevious hurt. They have been sent to police custody till September 20.

The Chatushrungi police received information around 10 pm that some students were involved in an altercation behind a shop near Bremen chowk. Constable Tanaji Takle and police naik Balkrishna Dalvi, who were patrolling the area, rushed to the spot and appealed to the students to calm down. While some students fled, others picked up an argument with the policemen.

Assistant police inspector M S Vichare told TOI that when Takle took a student aside after he refused to heed his warning, another student pushed him from behind and he fell to the ground. One of the students also allegedly hit Takle on the head with a stone, but since he was wearing a helmet, he escaped serious injury, said Vichare. Dalvi, who came to Takle's rescue, was hit with a stick and has fractured his right hand, added Vichare.

The students then allegedly fled in the direction of the Spicer Memorial College men's hostel, while some took shelter at a nearby restaurant.

When the policemen, in pursuit of the students, went to the restaurant, its owner Abdul Kadavat and employee Suresh Ande allegedly prevented them from entering the premises and threw stones at them.

A police team from the Chatushrungi police station, which had rushed to Takle and Dalvi's aid, barged into the restaurant and took Kadavat, Ande and some students into custody. Other students were later picked up from the hostel.

"Dalvi was carrying a lathi. We did not expect the students to attack us," Takle told TOI. "The incident happened all of a sudden and we did not retaliate as there were around 12 students. It was dark in the area."

The students arrested are Michael Loya (19), Helnalfakuyia Enellu (22), Luckyutfufa Sejiya (20), David Mitra (19), Rosang Pua Tulah (20), Vanlekon Mulla (20), Laren Pachao (18), Shivaveyumal Lejing (19) Lalwan Purya Pacho (20), Zoramchana Sharma (19) and Prohen Ali (30).

All of them live at the Spicer Memorial College hostel. Spicer Memorial college officials were not available for comment.