Pune: Chasing robbery suspects, here's how a raincoat pocket saved a police constable's life

Pune: Three policemen on night patrol duty foiled an attempt of house break-in at Sairam Villa near the Brahma Chaitanya society in Warje Malwadi in the wee hours of Wednesday. The suspects tried to attack the policemen with a sharp weapon, but fortunately, nobody was seriously injured in the incident. Society residents came to the rescue of police officers and helped them arrest the suspects who were trying to flee from the spot. 

Police have identified the suspects as Sagar Singh Kalu Singh Juni (27), a resident of Vaiduwadi in Hadapsar and Jalsingh Jarmansingh Juni (35), a resident of Patil Estate slum in Shivajinagar. Police Constable Saddam Shaikh attached with the Warje police station has filed a complaint against the two suspects. 

The suspects have been charged with section 307 (Attempt to murder), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 380 (Theft in dwelling house, etc.), 457 (Lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night in order to commit an offence punishable with imprisonment) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. 

According to police, Police constable Saddam Shaikh, along with his two other colleagues police constable F H Shaikh and constable Shirsath were on night patrolling duty at Ambedkar Chowk in Warje on Tuesday night. Saddam Shaikh received a call at around 3.10 am that two unidentified suspects have entered the Sairam Villa near the Brahma Chaitanya society. The three policemen reached the spot immediately and entered the building premises by jumping over the compound wall. They saw two men walking down the stairs, and when they tried to apprehend them, the suspects started running away.

When Constable Saddam Shaikh tried to catch one of the suspects, he attacked Saddam, who managed to save himself. The sharp weapon tore the raincoat he was wearing. The suspect again tried to attack Saddam while trying to stab him in the stomach, but the latter was fortunate as the weapon hit the wallet in his raincoat pocket. During this scuffle, constable FH Shaikh tried to save his colleague Saddam, but the other suspect tried to attack FH Shaikh.

Meanwhile, due to a lot of noise during the scuffle, many of the society residents woke up and came to the rescue of policemen. The two suspects were then detained and taken into custody. Interrogation of the suspects and later a search at the society revealed that they had decamped with gold ornaments, cash, foreign currency and other items worth Rs 1.92 lakh from a flat on the second floor of the society. Police Sub-Inspector Yeole is investigating the case.