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Nagpur: A night of high tension in Nagpur’s Bhaldarpura turned into a battle for survival when a mob of over 100 armed rioters confronted a 12-member police team late Monday night. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Niketan Kadam, leading the operation, found himself face-to-face with an attacker wielding an axe. With no firearms, only sticks, Kadam relied on sheer courage — blocking the deadly blow with his bare hands, sustaining injuries in the process, yet managing to push back the assailants and secure his team’s escape.
Recalling the harrowing moment, DCP Kadam said, “A mob armed with rods, swords, and knives was charging toward us. As we tried to disperse them, one of them swung an axe at me. I instinctively grabbed it, injuring my hand. It was a terrifying moment, but we stood our ground and made it out safely.”
The violence erupted as police launched a late-night “combing operation” to arrest those involved in previous riots. While attempting to detain suspects from their homes, Kadam’s team suddenly found themselves surrounded by an armed mob. Despite the overwhelming odds, they fought back, ensuring minimal casualties before retreating.
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Wednesday 19 March 2025
Following the attack, Kadam was rushed to a private hospital on a motorcycle, where he underwent surgery. The incident sent shockwaves through his family. “Seeing him with a blood-soaked handkerchief on the news was horrifying,” said his wife, Manisha Niketan Kadam. “We are relieved he is safe, but those responsible must be punished.”
According to media report, It was a 15-year-old boy who attacked Zonal DCP Niketan Kadam, a 2019-batch IPS officer, with an axe during the riots in Nagpur on Tuesday. The assailant aimed for Kadam’s neck, but the officer managed to block the blow with his hand, sustaining serious injuries.
Kadam underwent emergency surgery at New Era Hospital late in the evening. He and 11 other police personnel were injured while deployed in Central Nagpur.
According to eyewitnesses, Kadam and his team were nearly locked inside a room when he sensed the danger and attempted to escape. A teenage attacker, armed with an axe, tried to trap them inside, allegedly as part of a larger plan to cause greater harm. As Kadam forced his way out, the teenager swung the axe, but the officer blocked it with his bare hands.
The brazen attack on a senior officer has intensified the police crackdown, with authorities now working round the clock to identify and arrest the rioters.
