Pune: Three persons were arrested by the Vishrantwadi police for allegedly damaging the glass of a school van after its driver refused to give a ‘donation’ for Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s birthday celebrations.

Pratik Vasant Tingre (28) of Dhanori filed the complaint in this regard. The arrested persons have been identified as Swapnil Kisan Bhalerao (19) and Bharat Raju Salve (19), both residents of Shramik Nagar in Yerawada, and Rishikesh Rajesh Salvade (20) of Dhanori.

According to the police, the incident took place at around 8 am opposite Sawant Petrol Pump on Thursday. 

“I know Bhalerao. After he waved his hand, I stopped the van. He demanded a Rs 1,000 donation and I offered to give Rs 100. He got angry and threatened to kill me if I didn’t pay. He punched the glass of the van and it got cracked. His two friends then forcefully took me out of the van and began abusing me. Someone dialed 100 and soon the cops arrived and arrested them,” Tingre said in his complaint. 

The three accused persons have been charged for offences under sections 385 (extortion), 427 (damage to property), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.