Thane: Man trying to break up Holi dispute fatally attacked in Bhiwandi

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A 44-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death with a wooden board when he tried to intervene in a dispute during Holi celebrations in Bhiwandi city in Thane district, police said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI.

The incident occurred on Tuesday morning at a residential society in the Kasheli area, an official said.

"Umesh Bira Saw was playing Holi when a minor dispute broke out between Chandan Prakash Hariram Saw, Karukumar Hariram Saw, and another person. When he tried to settle the matter, the Saw brothers assaulted him," the official said, reported PTI.

The accused duo allegedly hit the victim on his head, eyes, hands and legs with a wooden board, causing severe injuries that led to his death, he added.

Police registered a case under sections 103(1) (Murder) and 3(5) (Common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Narpoli police station and are conducting an investigation. No arrests have been made so far.

Eight held for robbing man of Rs 5 lakh by posing as cops

In another case, police have arrested eight persons for allegedly robbing a Pune-based man of Rs 5 lakh by posing as police personnel near a railway station at Kalyan in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Wednesday, reported PTI.

The incident occurred last week, they said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Kalyanji Gete said the complainant was lured to Kalyan by the accused with a promise of exchanging his Rs 5 lakh cash for higher denomination currency of Rs 7 lakh, earning him a benefit of Rs 2 lakh, reported PTI.

"When the complainant reached Vitthalwadi railway station with Rs 5 lakh, the accused came in an SUV, posing as police personnel and fled with his cash," Gete said.

A case was registered at Kolsewadi police station on February 27 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

"Through technical analysis and swift coordination with other police units, we intercepted the SUV at Somatane Phata toll naka (on the old Mumbai-Pune highway), and arrested four accused within five hours," the official said, reported PTI.

Four more accused were nabbed subsequently on Sunday near Ahilyanagar-Shirdi road, he said.

"We have seized Rs 2.36 lakh in cash, two SUVs and nine mobile phones from the accused. Search for other accused is underway," Gete added.

(With inputs from PTI)