Hoodlums rough up Surat councillor

Prafful Panseria, a councillor of Surat, was mercilessly assaulted by a group of ruffians near Yogi Chowk in Varachha, late on Friday night. The councillor who was bleeding profusely was spotted by friends, who rushed him to a private hospital. He is now said to be in a stable condition.

Varachha police rushed to the hospital after learning about the incident and have registered a complaint based on the statement given by Panseria's friend Vitthal Kheni. The latter was passing by the road when he saw Panseria being attacked by the ruffians. He sustained minor injuries while trying to save his friend.

Panseria, 40, is a councillor from ward number 3 in Surat and had gone to a chowk to attend a meeting held for organising mass marriage ceremonies by the Bapa Sitaram Trust. At 10:30 pm, when Panseria went to the washroom, he saw a group of ruffians beating a youth. He intervened and asked the ruffians to stop hitting the youth.

Angered by Panseria's intervention, the ruffians thrashed him severely. The councillor fell to the ground and started bleeding profusely. Frightened by this, the ruffians fled from the scene leaving Panseria alone at the spot.

When the councillor did not return for some time, his friends started looking for him. As soon as they saw him lying on the ground and bleeding, they rushed him to a nearby hospital. He has been admitted to the ICU ward of the hospital where his condition is said to be stable. However, it will take him a few weeks time to recover, sources said.