06 November,2014 07:35 PM IST | | Chaitraly Deshmukh
Nitin Bhujbal was on the way to his office when a man on a motorbike attacked him; he was saved by the presence of mind of his alert driver
Shiv Sena Yuva Sena president Nitin Bhujbal undergoes treatment at a hospital after the attack
An unidentified person on a motorbike stabbed Shiv Sena youth wing, Yuva Sena's president Nitin Bhujbal, (32), at a traffic signal on Wednesday. Bhujbal was saved by the actions of his alert driver. He is undergoing treatment at a private hospital at Pune Station road and doctors say he is out of danger.
Shiv Sena Yuva Sena president Nitin Bhujbal undergoes treatment at a hospital after the attack
Bhujbal's driver Sunil Hariyappa (19), a resident of Viman Nagar, lodged a complaint against two youths with Yerawada police station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code comprising Section 307, attempt to murder and under the relevant sections of the Arms Act. This is not the first attack on Bhujbal. In May 2013, he was allegedly attacked by some members of BJP, including MLA Jagdish Mulik from Vadgaonsheri area. In 2012 Bhujbal was attacked by his business rivals, said police.
Hariyappa said, "On Wednesday morning, Bhujbal had called me to his home at Vadgaonsheri to drive his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). We were heading to his gas agency office at Yerawada and halted at a signal in Sainikwadi. A man who was wearing a helmet had parked his bike before our car. The signal turned green but he did not move, so Bhujbal asked him to go ahead. He said his bike had broken down. Then the man started abusing Bhujbal and another person on another motorbike came from behind and stabbed him."
"The attackers first stabbed Bhujbal's head and then his hand, leg and back. One of them threatened to stab me too. They were about to break the car windows to get in but I started it and drove to the Yerawada police station. Later the police and I rushed him to a hospital," Hariyappa added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IV) Manoj Patil said, "Bhujbal has a hoarding and advertisement business and is a Right to Information (RTI) activist. In the past as well, he was attacked on two occasions but those matters were personal issues. We are probing this incident and investigating all possibilities."
Shiv Sena spokesperson and MLC Dr Neelam Gorhe said, "We condemn this attack on Nitin Bhujbal. We discussed the situation with the Pune Police Commissioner and demanded immediate action against the culprits. This is not the first time a Sena leader has been attacked."
