Mumbai:
In a horrific incident of road rage in Mumbai, an auto rickshaw driver set a policeman on fire as he was pulled up for not carrying proper papers.
The incident took place on Wednesday in Mumbai's Vasai area.
According to eyewitnesses, at around 7 in the evening, traffic constable Anil Aitiwadekar had stopped auto rickshaw driver Mahendra Kevat and asked for his papers. Kevat, who couldn't produce the required documents, was fined by Anil. This enraged Kevat and he returned after a while with two bottles and splashed its contents on Anil, setting him on fire.
Constable Anil Aitiwadekar suffered 60% burns and was admitted to a nearby hospital. His condition is still serious.
Eyewitnesses also said that they made an attempt to nab Kevat after the incident but he escaped.
"He came with two Bisleri bottles and threw the contents on the cop. It caught fire instantly. I chased him and grabbed his clothes but he kicked me on my head and escaped. He was alone," said Gajanan Patil an eyewitness to the incident.
Kevat was arrested on Thursday morning and has been remanded to police custody till November 3.
"He was challaned at 7:00 pm. He got angry about this and committedthis act,"said Deepak Devraj, the Deputy Superintendent of Police ofThane (rural).
Kevat is believed to be a habitual offender. This is not the first time he has been booked. He was also arrested in March 2008 for raping a 14-year-old girl and was out on bail.