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An externed history-sheeter with a long record of serious offences created high drama in the dead of night in Goregaon East by abusing and assaulting policemen on patrol and repeatedly banging his own head against a police vehicle in an apparent attempt to derail his arrest.

The incident occurred in the early hours of January 17 at Santosh Nagar, Goregaon East, under the jurisdiction of Dindoshi police station. Police swung into action after the owner of Sai Prasad Bar alerted them that a man had entered the premises, abused staff, issued threats and fled. Acting on the information, a patrol team led by police constable Pradip Dattatray More, 52, traced the suspect near an electricity cabin at the BMC Colony around 1.42 am. The man was identified as Akshay Parshuram Kotekar, 29, a resident of Santosh Nagar and a known history-sheeter. Police said Kotekar had been externed for two years from Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban districts and Thane under orders issued by senior police officers. When questioned about his presence within city limits and asked to produce written permission from the competent authority, he admitted he had none. As Constable More attempted to detain him for violating the externment order, the situation quickly escalated. According to the complaint, Kotekar, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, began abusing policemen in public, grabbed More by the collar and pushed him, thereby obstructing officers from performing their lawful duties. Witnesses and police sources said the accused shouted threats and dared the policemen to release him. In a shocking turn of events, Kotekar then began repeatedly slamming his head against the rear door of a police vehicle, sustaining bleeding injuries, while continuing to hurl abuses at the officers. The police restrained him using necessary force and rushed him to a trauma care hospital in East for medical examination before bringing him to the police station. A case has been registered against Kotekar under Sections 132, 226, 352, 352(2) and 142 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, for assaulting a public servant, obstructing official work and unlawful assembly. Investigators said the accused is a habitual offender with over 22 serious cases registered against him since 2015, including theft, robbery, attempt to murder, assault, offences under the NDPS Act, Arms Act and repeated violations of the Maharashtra Police Act. He had also been externed earlier in November 2024. “The accused is known for creating public disturbances. Despite being externed, he brazenly re-entered city limits and created a scene when police tried to take action,” a senior police officer said, adding that further investigation is underway.