Police hunt for men who mutilated driver after road rage quarrel

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Gangapur police in rural Sambhajinagar are on the lookout for five to six unidentified men who allegedly thrashed a mini-pickup driver and severed his genitals during a quarrel at Shindewadi Phata, on Gangapur-Lasur Road, around 7.30pm on Saturday.The 32-year-old victim, who is from a village in Sillegaon in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, is undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). Doctors said his condition is critical and he is in deep shock.Inspector Kumarsingh Rathod, of the Gangapur police, told TOI, "The victim and his friend, both drivers, were returning after unloading a cotton consignment when their pickup developed a snag and came to a halt on a sharp turn on the road. As there was a snag in the vehicle's electrical circuit, they were unable to turn on the parking lights. At this point, another van came speeding from behind and almost crashed into the pickup before its driver managed to stop in time. Five to six men travelling in the speeding van then got down and started quarrelling with the victim and his friend over why they did not put any indicators or parking lights."The police, citing the version of the victim and his driver friend, said the duo tried convincing the group that there was a fault in their vehicle's electrical circuit, but the verbal duel soon escalated into an exchange of abuses."The victim ran into a nearby field. The victim's friend, meanwhile, apologised to the men, who then helped him restart the pickup and let him go. He left thinking that the victim, who had slipped into the nearby field, would return. However, the angry men pursued and caught the victim, thrashed him before cutting his genitals off and abandoning him on the road," Rathod said.The police said the victim used the cellphone of a passerby to contact his driver friend and asked him to return to the spot to take him to the hospital. Around the same time, some villagers passing the spot called an ambulance and took him to the nearest medical facility. Considering the nature of injuries, he was referred to GMCH.The police said the preliminary probe has indicated that the suspects got upset over the victim hurling back abuses. The police said that based on the complaint lodged by the victim's cousin, an FIR has been registered against the suspects under BNS section 118 (2) for voluntarily causing grievous hurt using dangerous weapons or means.The police have formed three teams to track down the vehicle based on the description provided by the victim and his fellow driver so that the suspects could be identified and brought to book.