Liquor smugglers ram SUV into Maharashtra excise department's car, 1 killed

NASHIK: A Maharashtra excise department personnel died and three others were injured on Monday when their vehicle overturned after being hit by an SUV smuggling liquor to Gujarat, in Nashik district early Monday.
The excise department team was trying to intercept the smugglers' SUV after a nearly 100km chase from Nashik city to Chandwad, when their vehicle was hit.
The smugglers were transporting Indian Made Foreign Liquor from Daman to Gujarat via Nashik and Nandurbar. The chase ended at Harnul village at 2am on the stretch between Chandwad and Manmad, but the smugglers managed to flee.
The deceased, Kailas Kasbe (52), was driving the excise department vehicle. The injured were identified as Lasalgaon police station constables Shashikant Nikam and Arun Dongre, and Rahul Pawar of the excise department.
Shashikant Garje, superintendent of excise department, Nashik, said a tip-off was received about an SUV carrying liquor from Daman and heading towards Gujarat, following which a trap was laid. "Upon spotting a suspicious SUV (GJ 19 DX 8886) at 11.30 pm on Sunday, we gave it a chase," he said.
The SUV driver, on realising he was being followed, took the Saikheda-Niphad-Lasalgaon route to avoid being caught. The excise personnel sought police help, and the Lasalgaon police joined in the pursuit.
Garje said when Kasbe tried to intercept the SUV, its driver hit the state vehicle, which toppled, leading to Kasbe's death and injuries to the others.
Police and excise personnel were trying to trace the SUV and the smugglers, he said. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder and attempt to murder.
Kasbe is survived by his wife, parents and a 20-year-old son.