Traffic cop set ablaze by autorickshaw driver dies

Anil Aitawadekar, 42, suffered serious burn injuries after he was set on fire in full public view by an enraged Mahendra Kewat, 23, last Wednesday.

Aitawadekar, living in Kalyan town in the eastern region of Thane, was on traffic control duty in Vasai town when the attack took place, according to Vasai police station's senior police inspector C.M. Jadhav.

"Kewat's remand ended today (Wednesday). He has been charged with attempt to murder but now we have slapped murder charge against him. We will seek his further police remand," Jadhav told IANS.

Kewat, a habitual offender who was earlier charged with raping a minor girl and assaulting a traffic constable, was arrested after he set ablaze Aitawadekar. The autorickshaw driver flew into a rage after the policeman slapped a fine on him for traffic rules violation and vowed to take revenge. Kewat returned with a can of petrol and set him ablaze even as scores of horrified pedestrians and motorists looked on.

Aitawadekar was taken to the Golden Park Hospital with over 40 percent burns. He died around 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Two years ago, Kewat was arrested for raping a minor girl in Vasai and spent 18 months in jail before being let out of prison on bail.

Earlier, he had attacked traffic constable A. Satoskar and was arrested for assaulting a government servant, Jadhav said.