Pune: Drunk Man Attempts to Set Two Cops on Fire, Held

A major incident was averted in Pune when a drunk driver attempted to set a woman police officer and another constable on fire at the Faraskhana traffic division office around 8 pm on Friday. Eyewitnesses reported that the suspect held the lighter upside down, preventing a fire.

The suspect, Sanjay Fakira Salve from Jalna, currently residing in Pimpri Chinchwad, doused the officers with petrol in a bid to ignite them. The complaint, lodged by Constable Sameer Prakash Sawant, detailed that Salve was angry after being detained by police. He pulled the challan machine from Assistant Police Inspector Shailaja Jankar and then attempted the attack.

Assistant Police Inspector Shailaja Jankar described the shock of the incident, stating, “It will take some time for me to come out of this shock. I could not speak for the first hour after the incident as the horror still lingers in my head.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I), Sandeep Singh Gill, confirmed that Salve was overpowered by the constables present, taken into custody, and has been placed under arrest. The Vishrambaug police have lodged a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) against Salve.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Rohidas Pawar, explained that the officials on duty had found Salve’s behavior suspicious and had stopped him, prompting the sequence of events. Salve initially fled but returned with petrol and attempted the attack.

Vishrambaug Police Station incharge, Deepali Bhujbal, confirmed, “We have registered a case against Salve and a probe is underway.”