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ShareIn a strange incident, that lasted for four hours, a 19-year-old youth snatched a service revolver from an on-duty police sub inspector (PSI) in a crowded area in Thane. Later, the police nabbed the youth from Bhiwandi.
The incident took place at the Meenatai Thackeray Circle on Agra Road in Thane, where
PSI RB Chougule was patrolling. At around 11.30am, Chougule was inspecting documents related to a bike when somebody pulled his revolver from the holster.
Before Chougule and his associates could catch the culprit -- who was wearing a yellow shirt and black trousers -- the boy ran from the spot. A passerby tried to chase him but stopped when he saw the revolver in the boy's hand. He then jumped over a compound wall and disappeared.
The police realised the gravity of the situation -- the revolver was loaded with five bullets -- and so several teams of police were sent to different areas. Sniffer dogs were also put to work. One of them traced the boy to Bhiwandi, where he was hiding at a relative's house. He was identified as Shabbir Sheikh, a resident of Gokulnagar in Thane.
During questioning, Shaikh told the police that he committed the act because he was frustrated after being unable to land a job, in spite of being educated. He also said that PSI Chougule had reprimanded him in an insulting manner just a few minutes before the incident when Shabbir was loitering around the area. Shabbir, already upset with his unemployment problem, acted on impulse and stole the revolver from Chougule as an act of revenge.
