A 35-year-old home guard was attacked by a man with a knife while patrolling near the railway tracks close to Panvel railway station in the early hours of Sunday. The accused, identified as Vishal Bajirao Pawar (27), was arrested soon after the incident by Panvel City Police. The injured home guard, Suraj Janardan Patil, was rushed to the hospital and is now reported to be in stable condition.
According to the police, trains from Karnataka and Konkan slow down near the Kalundre River in Panvel, making it a hotspot for thefts. Petty criminals often take advantage of the situation, boarding express trains in the dark to steal passenger’s valuables. To prevent such crimes, railway police have increased night patrolling in the area.
On Sunday morning, Patil and his colleague were patrolling near the railway tracks when they came across Pawar and two others sitting by a fire. When the home guard instructed them to leave, an argument ensued. In a fit of rage, Pawar, who was allegedly intoxicated, stabbed Patil in the back before fleeing the scene with his accomplices.
Despite his injuries, Patil managed to reach Panvel railway station, where he was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment. Following the attack, Panvel railway police registered a case and transferred it to Panvel City Police. The police swiftly traced Vishal Pawar to Vichumbe village and arrested him.
“We are investigating the case further to trace the accomplice of PAwar and also to identify the motive behind the attack,” a police officer from Panvel City police station said.
