Police Arrest Man for Brandishing Koyta and Threatening Commuters Outside CSMT
On Saturday, a 22-year-old man was arrested after he brandished a 'koyta' (a sharp, sickle-like weapon) and threatened his wife and commuters outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai. The incident, which occurred in broad daylight within the jurisdiction of the Mata Ramabai Ambedkar (MRA) Marg Police Station, caused widespread panic in the crowded railway station area before police officers overpowered the suspect. No injuries were reported.
The accused was identified as Waqar Anwar Shaikh. According to the MRA Marg Police, Shaikh and his wife had traveled to South Mumbai for an outing when an argument broke out between them over a minor issue.
When bystanders and commuters attempted to de-escalate the situation, Shaikh allegedly pulled a koyta out of his bag. He then began waving the weapon aggressively, threatening both his wife and the members of the public who were nearby.
The incident was brought to the attention of the authorities after a citizen posted about the situation on the social media platform X. Acting immediately on the alert, a police team rushed to the scene outside CSMT. The team was led by Assistant Police Inspector Sandhya Nikam and included Constables Thombre, Patil, and Talpade, as well as Traffic Police Constable Shinde.
Upon arriving at the busy location, the police officers observed Shaikh shouting and charging towards commuters while holding the sharp weapon. The police team tactically surrounded him, managed to approach him from behind, and overpowered and disarmed him.
Videos of Shaikh brandishing the weapon and his subsequent arrest by the police team went viral on social media.
Following the arrest, police officials revealed that Shaikh has a criminal background, with multiple offences registered against him in the past. The MRA Marg Police have registered a case against Shaikh under relevant sections of the Arms Act and other applicable provisions. Further investigation into the Saturday incident is currently underway.
