Attacked by juvenile biker, traffic cop dies

Police constable Vilas Shinde, who was battling for his life at Lilavati Hospital after attacked by a teenager and his brother, breathed his last on Wednesday. Shinde's death not only brought to fore the vulnerability of constabularies, but also the unity among the force's personnel.

The issue attracted a lot of attention with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis visiting Shinde's family, while Mumbai traffic police decided to contribute one day salary – amounting to Rs 30-35 lakh – to support Shinde's family.
Shinde's family, meanwhile, has donated the eyes of the deceased at the time of grief.

According to the police, on August 23 afternoon, constable Shinde, 50, from Bandra traffic division was discharging his duty at a petrol pump in Khar when he spotted a biker without helmet approaching the petrol pump.

Shinde then asked the biker to show his vehicle documents and licence. The said biker then indulged in an argument with Shinde and phoned his brother Ahmed Mohammad Ali Qureshi, who too reached the spot within minutes and joined the argument.

"Qureshi then took a wooden plank from the spot and banged it on Shinde's head. Qureshi and his brother then fled the place," said joint commissioner of police, law and order, Deven Bharti.

While Shinde was rushed to Lilavati hospital by his colleagues, by Tuesday night the police were able to detain the 15-year old biker. The juvenile was sent to a children's home while Qureshi was placed under arrest and was remanded in police custody. Qureshi and the juvenile were booked on charges of attempt to commit murder.

People, mostly colleagues and their family members, gathered in large numbers to mourn Shinde's death at his Worli residence and show their support to Shinde's family in the time of grief. When CM Fadnavis reached Shinde's residence, he was stopped by angry family members of the constables for some time.

Speaking to mediapersons, the CM said that the state government would give job to one person from the family of Shinde and would also give all financial benefits and compensation which are given to a martyr. Fadnavis said the state government has recently made changes in this regard and any police officer or constable succumbing to such incidents would be treated as a martyr.

"Shinde was very close to everyone in the traffic branch. As a small gesture of goodwill Mumbai Traffic Police decided to contribute one day salary each amounting to Rs 30 to 35 lakh to support his family," said traffic police inspector Shriram Korgaonkar.

In 2011, DNA had reported that for the first time Mumbai traffic police had issued weapons to traffic constable so that they can react to any 'untoward' incident immediately. Apart from that, it would also reduce cases of traffic police being manhandled by rowdy vehicle owners. In 2013, there were as many as 30 instances of traffic policemen being manhandled by motorists and citizens.

"Following Shinde's death, the police have pressed murder charge in the case. It is a heinous crime and we would tell the court not to consider the minor involved in the case as a juvenile," senior police inspector of Khar police station Ramchandra Jadhav told dna.