‘I drew my best friend's panchnama'

When police sub-inspector Pandurang Desai heard that his best friend and colleague Dinanath Shinde was involved in an accident, he rushed to Bombay Hospital to be by his side. But in an ironic twist, hospital authorities asked Desai to draw the panchnama of Shinde’s body.

“I never imagined I would have to draw the panchnama of my best friend,” said a visibly upset Desai, who is attached with the LT Marg police station. “He was like a family member.”

Shinde and Desai both belonged to Kolzer village near Mumbai-Goa highway.

Desai was on day duty on January 30. When he reached the police station, he was informed that Shinde was injured in an accident and the case had been registered at LT Marg police station. “I reached the hospital around 10.30am. But he was already dead. As a duty officer, I was asked to draw the panchnama,” said Desai. “My hands were shaking while I wrote the details.”

Handling Shinde’s family was the most difficult job for Desai. “Our families have spent so many beautiful days together. I never imagined I would have to spend such a day with them,” said Desai.

Desai took Shinde’s body to his residence to perform the last rites.
According to Desai, Shinde was on day duty that day. “On rotation basis, an officer has to work in the day and the night once a month. It was Shinde’s turn on Saturday,” he said.

“I think Shinde’s death was pre-decided by destiny,” he added.
Recently, Shinde had constructed a new house in his village and was very excited, as he would go there for a vacation with his family, said Desai.