Dayanand Kamath/Somendra Sharma for DNA
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Mumbai, Jun 7: Two policemen were assaulted by Nigerian drug peddlers at Kalina in Santacruz (E) when Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) officials tried to nab the gang early on Tuesday morning. 

This is the fourth case of assault on policemen in the past seven days.

The ANC, however, caught two of the peddlers, identified as Sundey Igabulem (30) and Ezebi Godsavil (28) and recovered 5gm of cocaine valued at Rs20,000, 12gm of mixed powder worth Rs10,000 and Rs6,000 in cash, along with a Nigerian passport. Their two associates, Anunken Obian (26), and Megborukve Samuel (22), remain at large.

The arrested have been booked under Section 8(c) read with Sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985. The duo has been remanded in police custody till June 13.

ANC officials had received information that a gang was to assemble at Gita Vihar Chowk on the Kalina-Kurla Road. At 1am, when the four suspects arrived, the police asked them to surrender. When Constable Kiran Salunke went forward to arrest them, two Nigerians assaulted him with a sharp instrument.

Hearing Salunke’s shouts for help, Constable Trambak Sawant of Vakola police station who was patrolling nearby, rushed to the spot. However, the peddlers assaulted Sawant as well and pushed him into a nearby gutter. Later, more policemen rushed to the spot and managed to arrest two peddlers. The two constables have been admitted to VN Desai hospital.

This is the fourth incident in the past seven days where policemen have been assaulted by criminals. Asked about how the police plans to tackle this problem,  Police Commissioner DN Jadhav said, “It is a co-incidence. All the incidents happened at different places, involving different people. Three to four teams of experts will also be dispatched in all regions and zones to brief officers about how to carry out such operations.”