Panvel City police arrested Rahul Patil, a politician from Thane and President of the Maharashtra Bullock Cart Group, for allegedly causing a disturbance following his defeat in a bullock cart race held on Tuesday in Panvel. Additionally, during the incident, it has been reported that a member of Patil's group discharged a firearm openly.
Nitin Thackeray, Senior police inspector from Panvel City police station informed that they have received one day police custody of Patil. According to police, on March 12, Shakti Gaikwad organized a bullock cart race in an open space on the banks of Dungi river in Panvel taluka. Gaikwad had taken all permissions for the race.
During the race, Rahul and Jayesh Patil's bulls competed head-to-head. Unfortunately, Rahul's bull ended up losing. In response to Jayesh's supporters' jubilation, who celebrated with gulls and photographs, Rahul and his supporters became agitated. Their frustration turned into anger, leading them to shout and hurl stones at Jayesh Patil and his supporters. The situation escalated further when, according to the police, a member of Rahul's group opened fire.
The incident had remained under wraps for the past two days. However, when photographs and videos depicting the incident reached Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe, he promptly ordered a case to be filed. Following an order, the Panvel City Police Station registered a case against 15 to 20 persons, including Rahul, under sections 3, 25 of the Arms Act, along with sections 336, 294, 141, 143, 147, 148, and 149 of the IPC. According to police, around 15 to 20 people including Rahul Patil, a resident of Aadivali in Kalyan.
Patil escaped an injury when BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad fired at his rival Mahesh Gaikwad at Hill Line Police station in Thane last month. “In the past also, Patil was involved in similar kind of disturbance during bullock cart races,” said police.