MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MLA Yogesh Patil and his parents were attacked and stabbed in their Bhiwandi residence on Tuesday morning. The police have arrested the attacker, identified as Santosh Patil, and a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) local leader, Kapil Patil, for the incident.
Patil sustained stab wounds on his wrist and forearms, while his parents Ramesh and Kamlabai Patil were also injured in the attack. Patil’s parents were rushed to Jupiter hospital in Thane and are now admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Patil was discharged from the hospital after treatment.
According to the police, Santosh reached Patil’s residence at 7.15 am, and knocked on the door. “When Patil’s niece opened the door, he charged into the house wielding a knife. He attacked and injured Patil’s father first who tried stopping him.
When Patil’s mother came to her husband’s rescue, she too was stabbed. Finally, Patil, who came running into the room hearing the commotion, was also attacked and injured by him,” said joint commissioner of police Madhu Shinde.
However, Patil’s wife, who was busy with her household chores, was spared as the assailant ran out of the house after stabbing the MLA.
Patil’s brother and a few neighbours chased and caught Santosh and handed him over to the police. In the preliminary statement given to the police, Santosh said Kapil Patil had allegedly given him money to attack the MLA.
Patil, meanwhile, is not sure why the NCP leader would engineer such an attack on him. “There is no rivalry between me and Kapil Patil. I don’t know why he did such a thing,” he said.
Both Santosh and Kapil Patil have been remanded to police custody for three days.
“We are going to interrogate both the suspects,” said Shinde.
Sena calls bandh
Following the attack, Shiv Sena activists called for a Bhiwandi bandh. Stray incidents of stone-pelting were reported in a few areas and shops remained closed throughout Tuesday. However, the situation was kept under control with heavy deployment of police in the township.
Corporator’s murder
The crime branch on Tuesday arrested Pappu Chawla, alleged matka king, for his alleged involvement in the murder of Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamshandekar. Chawla has been charged for aiding and abetting Arun Gawli in the crime. He will be produced in court on Wednesday.
s_divyesh@dnaindia.net
