Man tries to set afire civic official; 3 held

A 26-year-old man and his two brothers were arrested for allegedly trying to set on fire a civic official and disrupting demolition of unauthorised constructions in Dombivili township, police said.
Krishna Mahadeo Landekar (54), Assistant Municipal Commissioner (AMC) of Kalyan Dombivili Municipal Corporation, had, along with his staffers, gone to a place near Govind Wadi locality in Achore village in Dombivili yesterday for the demolition of unauthorised constructions, Tilak Nagar police inspector S B Sawant said today.
The staffers were in the process of pulling down some illegal structures when three brothers -- Bashir Abdul Shaikh (26), Firoz Abdul Shaikh (38) and Farooque Abdul Shaikh (26) -- tried to prevent the staffers from carrying out the work.

They allegedly abused and manhandled the civic staffers and demanded Rs 5 lakh as compensation for the demolition.
Later, Bashir rushed in with a can of kerosene and doused himself with the inflammable substance and also poured it on Landekar. He then pulled out a matchstick and threatened to immolate himself and also set the civic officer on fire, Sawant said.
The civic staff managed to overpower Bashir and caught him and his brothers and handed them over to police.
Later, based on a complaint filed by the AMC, the three brothers were arrested shortly before midnight.
Offences have been registered against the trio under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 307 (attempt to murder), 309 (attempt to commit suicide) read with 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC, police added.