Cop was killed for doing his job

Constable Jitendra Pawar (37) was known as the most amicable among his colleagues at Goregaon police station.

Constable Jitendra Pawar (37) was known as the most amicable among his colleagues at Goregaon police station. Now, they are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the man who deliberately rammed a car into him last morning and killed him is brought to justice.

Kamlesh Morya (22), driver of a Chevrolet Tavera that was operated as a tourist vehicle, also injured six others, including another cop, when he ran the car into the group at Prem Nagar in Goregaon in a drunken rage.
One of Pawar's colleagues said, "After we heard that someone had banged a car into Pawar and constable Sanjay Sonavane we didn't rest till we caught the culprit."

The reason

Revealing what led to the incident, the police said Morya and the owner of the Tavera, identified only as Alva, were injured in an accident a year ago. Morya had borrowed Rs 1.2 lakh from Alva for treatment. However, when he didn't return the money even after he got the insurance money, his neighbour Lalji Yadav, who had helped him get the job, took up the responsibility of getting back the money for Alva.

This angered Morya and he started threatening Yadav's family. At around 1 am yesterday, Yadav filed an NC against Morya at Goregaon police station. "Responding to the complaint, Pawar and Sonavane went to Morya's home. When they were talking to some locals, Morya rammed into them," said Laxman Gore, senior police inspector, Goregaon.

Morya tried to escape in the Tavera, but the police nabbed him at Dahisar. He has been charged under several sections, including murder.

Trail of destruction

Constable Pawar's funeral, which took place at 7 pm yesterday, was attended by around 40 cops and over 500 locals. He is survived by his wife and eight-year-old child.

Meanwhile, Constable Sonavane, who is critically injured, has been admitted in the ICU at BSES Hospital, Andheri. His brother Shashikant, a Kherwadi police officer, said, He has a wife and a child and they cannot believe this happened. I didn't have the time to find out what exactly occurred. We are in shock. Sonavane has sustained injuries on his ribs and right leg.

Amongst the civilians who were injured, Birbal Yadav (35) and Ranjit Yadav (30) are in the ICU at Cooper Hospital, while Santosh Gupta (29) is recovering from his fractures in the general ward at the same hospital.

The others Biharilal Morya (25), a cousin of the accused, and Sikander Yadav (28) were discharged after treatment.

Corrigendum
In the story 'I haven't got a single call tipping me about a fraud', yesterday, a pic of MHADA Chief Officer H K Jawale was erroneously identified as Chief Vigilance Officer Jawahar Singh. The error is regretted

Trail of Destruction

Constable Pawar's funeral, which took place at 7 pm yesterday, was attended by around 40 cops and over 500 locals. He is survived by his wife and eight-year-old child.