Cop dies as errant biker injures him in rash ride

MUMBAI: A police constable, who was thrown off a two-wheeler a week ago when an errant biker he was taking to police station tried to flee, succumbed to injuries on Saturday morning. Sunil Kadam, 52, was in a coma from May 11 after sustaining injuries in the neck and head as the speeding bike hit two vehicles parked on the road near Haji Ali dargah.

The Gamdevi police are set to book the biker, Sirajuddin Abdul Ghaffar Shaikh, 26, a history-sheeter, for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, a charge punishable by up to 10 years in jail or life imprisonment.Kadam’s family has demanded he be booked for murder. Shaikh, who was also injured, was arrested on Friday soon after his discharge from hospital.
The incident happened in the early hours of May 11, when Kadam, as part of a nakabandi, spotted three youngsters on a bike at Cadbury junction near Mahalaxmi temple.
On his signal Shaikh, who was riding the bike, stopped, while the two riding pillion fled the place.
“Kadam asked for his licence and bike registration documents. He told Shaikh he had to go to Gamdevi police station as he would be fined for driving recklessly and without helmet,” said a police officer. One digit of the registration number too was missing on the bike number plate.
According to sources, as soon on Kadam sat on the pillion, Shaikh, instead going to the police station, took an about-turn near Mahalaxmi temple and accelerated. Police said Shaikh wanted to escape without going to police station or paying a fine, so he started speeding recklessly so that Kadam would lose balance and fall off.
However, Shaikh lost control of the bike and rammed it into two vehicles. “Both fell off the bike. Kadam sustained sharp and deep injuries near his neck and head,” a police officer said.
Kadam,who suffered ruptures in the blood vessels in the brain, was initially admitted to Nair hospital and then later shifted to Bombay hospital.
Police initially booked Shaikh for attempt to commit culpable homicide (IPC section 308 ), kidnapping (section 365), assault to deter public servant from discharge of his duty (section 353), voluntarily causing grievous hurt to public servant to deter him from duty (section 333), endangering life or personal safety of others (section 336 ), causing grievous hurt (section 338 ) and rash driving (section 279). There are several cases of robbery and theft registered against him at other police stations.
“We want the accused to be booked under serious offence so that a strong message is sent in the society that such act will not be tolerated,'' said a close relative of Kadam. He is survived by two daughters and a son.
Retired assistant commissioner of police Feroz Patel under whom Kadam worked said, ”Kadam was a very dedicated and sincere policeman who has worked hard in crime branch and had brought fame to the department by arresting criminals.”