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Home > Mumbai > Mumbai News > Article > He was a thief but why kill him for that

'He was a thief, but why kill him for that?'

Updated on: 04 November,2016 02:30 PM IST  | 
Santosh Wagh |

After a mob of six beats chain-snatcher to death in Dadar for robbing a gold chain, the brother of the deceased demands investigation and action into the incident

'He was a thief, but why kill him for that?'

The 11-ft gate of Madani Industrial Estate in Dadar that Swami Yadav (24) climbed, injuring himself in the process, on Thursday. Pic/Bipin Kokate
The 11-ft gate of Madani Industrial Estate in Dadar that Swami Yadav (24) climbed, injuring himself in the process, on Thursday. Pic/Bipin Kokate


It was mob justice at its peak in Dadar in the wee hours of Wednesday when a few members of the public badly beat up a chain-snatcher on the run with a gold chain, leading to his death a few hours later in a hospital.


The deceased, identified as Swami Yadav (24), was assaulted so brutally that he fainted and had to be rescued by the Dadar police later, who took him to Sion hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries by afternoon. Yadav’s younger brother has now demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.


Dawn drama
The incident happened on Bhavani Shankar Road in Senapati Bapat Marg area when locals Gaurav Rangankar and his brother Utkarsh were walking towards Madani Industrial Estate. Yadav snatched Utkarsh’s gold chain and attempted to flee. Gaurav tried to catch him, but Yadav attacked him with a cutter and managed to escape. The brothers then raised an alarm and five to six started chasing Yadav.

Yadav, who had reached the Madani Industrial Estate, climbed its 11-foot gate. In his hurry to flee, he got injured because of the iron spokes at the top of the gate. He jumped down, sustaining more injuries, and locked himself in the cabin within the compound.

“The people chasing him broke down the door and pulled him out. They kept beating him till the police reached the spot. Officers took him in custody and got him admitted to Sion hospital,” said Sunil Deshmukh, assistant commissioner of police, Dadar division.

Seeking justice
Yadav’s death has sparked anger among his relatives, who have demanded justice. His younger brother Sachin, a newspaper vendor based in Borivli west, said, “He was a thief, I agree, but should he have been killed for that? I used to keep telling him to come and start working with me… he has left behind a wife and two children. I demand a fair investigation in the case and action against those who killed him.”

An eyewitness, Ravi Manwatkar, said, “I saw him running and about six people chasing him. He jumped inside the compound, but the people brought him out and started assaulting him. I and a few others at the spot kept telling them to hand him over to the police rather than beating him, but everything went unheard.”

DCP (zone V) Paramjit Singh Dahiya said, “The police had registered a case under section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) of the Indian Penal Code against the deceased initially; after his death, the Dadar police have registered a case under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against six to seven unknown people. Further investigations are on.”

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