03 April,2024 08:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
Kherwadi Police with the accused
The Mumbai police responded to a challenge posed when a 22-year-old individual uploaded a video on Instagram showcasing how law enforcement failed to apprehend him during a race on the Western Express Highway. The Kherwadi police discovered the video on Instagram and successfully traced the individual to the Powai area.
Furthermore, the Kherwadi police successfully traced 36 other individuals who were engaged in bike racing and stunts at the reclamation area near the Kherwadi patch on the Western Express Highway on Sunday. The accused, Salman Khan (22), a resident of Filter Pada in Powai, uploaded a video on his Instagram account, challenging the Mumbai police to apprehend him. Subsequently, the Kherwadi police seized 36 sports bikes and arrested 36 youths aged between 18 and 22.
Mahim Dargha meeting point
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According to a police officer, the investigation revealed that the bike racers would meet at the Mahim Dargah. They would pray inside the Dargah, then meet outside to plan where they would engage in racing and stunts.
Racing plan
Before conducting races and stunts, some of the bikers would check for police nakabandi in the area to avoid getting caught. Their favourite spot was at Reclamation in Bandra East, where they would park their bikes in lines and perform stunts and races. The police officer mentioned that they didn't race for money but solely to create videos, showcasing skills, and gaining popularity on social media. Many of them would even remove their number plates for anonymity, and some had modified their bikes.
The accused uploaded a video on Instagram
The accused, Salman Khan, uploaded a video on his Instagram account the day after the racing incident, in which he escaped from a police van in the Kherwadi area. On that Sunday, Salman Khan was racing and performing stunts at the Reclamation area when the police received information about it. The police team rushed to the spot and found multiple bikers engaged in stunts, who then began to flee. The police pursued them until the Kherwadi area on the Western Express Highway, but all managed to escape. During the incident, one of the accused individuals captured Salman Khan's escape on video. Later, on Monday, the accused uploaded the video on his Instagram account, boasting about how the police were unable to catch him.
How the police traced the accused
The Kherwadi police received this video from an anonymous source. Under the guidance of Additional CP Paramjit Singh Dahiya, DCP Dikshit Gedam, ACP Suhas Kamble and Senior PI Rajendra Mulik of Kherwadi police station formed a team of PI Hemant Gurav, PI Ashok Ugale, PI Parshuram Korke, API Amit Tiwari, API Ganpat Ganeshkar, PSI Pradeep Londhe and constables Sanjay Jagtap, Ganesh Thombare, Ganesh Sawant, Tatoba More, Shivaji Sarwade, Pramod Palde, Arun Yadav, Mahesh Patil, Pankaj Pardesi Balasaheb Shinde and Staff to nabe the accused. On Monday, the Kherwadi police successfully traced Salman Khan to the Filter Pada area in Powai. The Kherwadi police registered a total of three cases Under the IPC and Motor Vehicle Act and 36 Motor Cycles were Seized.
More arrests with leads
During the investigation, Salman Khan disclosed to the police officers the details of their racing and stunts at the reclamation area on Sundays, as well as the names and addresses of all the other bikers involved. The police team was able to locate and arrest the remaining accused individuals, seizing a total of 36 bikes used in the races on the Western Express Highway.