The Central police on Monday arrested a four-member gang that assaulted and robbed a Customs officer of his smartphone at the Marine Drive walkway early on Wednesday morning.
The arrested were identified as Agesg, Antony Stepher, Bilal, and Bovin Smith. They were charged under IPC Section 392 (robbery).
The police could initially arrest Bovin alone before rounding up the remaining later in the day. Reportedly, the Customs officer, who was out for morning walk, took a picture which offended the accused who happened to be in the vicinity.
It is learnt that they were smoking and concluded that the officer had taken their picture to frame them, while the latter claimed that he had merely taken a selfie.
The accused then picked an argument with the officer, asking him to delete the photograph at the end of which they assaulted him, robbed of him of the smartphone and fled from the scene.
The victim, who lives nearby, lodged a petition with the police.
The incident was preceded by another event in which a person, reportedly mentally unsound, attacked a senior lawyer with a tile piece at the same location. He was injured on the back of the head when he reportedly took an evasive action when the person attacked him. Residents nearby said he had attacked and injured another morning jogger on his leg, besides hurling stones at passers-by.
The lawyer petitioned the Central police, asking for deployment of adequate police personnel to ensure the safety of the public along the Marine Drive walkway and other public places.
The police did not register a case against the person concerned considering his mental state.
