In 10-hour drama, murder accused holds kin hostage over property feud, 4 cops injured in rescue bid in Thane

Thane: High drama unfolded in Panvel city near Mumbai where a murder case accused held his own parents, brother and other relatives hostage over a property dispute, and attacked policemen with sharp weapons when they tried to rescue the kin, including minors, officials said on Thursday.

At least four policemen were injured in the incident that took place during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday in Godse Ali area in Old Panvel located in Raigad district, and the accused was later arrested after the police overpowered him, they said.

The rescue operation, which began at 10 pm on Wednesday ended around 6 am on Thursday, the police said.

Addressing a press conference, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II, Panvel) Prashant Mohite, said the accused, Soban Babulal Mahato (35), stormed into his brother's house around 8.30 pm on Wednesday carrying an axe and a sickle in hands.

Apart from his brother and his three children, he also held hostage his own parents, who resided there, he said.

Mahato, an accused in a 2018 murder case and recently released on bail, locked himself inside the house and held the victims hostage, threatening to kill them if the police tried to intervene, the official said.

After the police were alerted, a team immediately reached the spot. Their initial attempts to persuade Mahato to surrender failed as he threatened the officers with , Mohite said.

Additional police force also came to the spot, he said.

During the tense standoff, Mahato attacked the police personnel with the weapons, injuring constables Ravindra Pardhi, Madhav Shewale and Sainath Mokal. Police naik Samrat Daki sustained a deep injury on his arm while blocking a blow aimed at his head.

Another police personnel sprayed chilli powder at the accused, but it failed to yield any result. At that point, the fire brigade was called in and the door of the house was broken open to gain entry, DCP Mohite said.

When the police saw the accused holding a sickle to the neck of his 16-year-old niece, constables Daki and Mokal pounced on him and overpowered him. The hostages were finally rescued, he said.

The injured policemen were rushed to the sub-district hospital for treatment.

The accused was arrested and a case was registered against him for attempted to murder, assault on public servants, and criminal intimidation, along with provisions of the Arms Act, the police said.