Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw's car was attacked with a baseball bat on Wednesday after he turned down a request for selfies. Following the incident the Mumbai Police have now arrested a woman social media influencer - identified as Sapna Gill - and booked seven others on the charge of rioting and extortion. The incident took place at a hotel near the Mumbai airport.
“An offence was registered in Oshiwara Police Station in Mumbai under the sections of unlawful assembly, extortion and other sections. The accused damaged the car of the complainant and then demanded ₹50,000 to let go of the matter,” said DCP Anil Paraskar. The complaint was lodged by his friend and flatmate Ashish Yadav.
The police said that Gill has been sent for a medical checkup. Officials had earlier said that a woman accused threatened Shaw's friend, asking him to pay ₹50,000 to settle the matter. Otherwise, she would lodge a false police complaint against them.
Shaw had been having dinner with friends at a five star hotel in Mumbai's Santacruz area when he was approached by a group seeking selfies. While the cricketer had initially obliged, posing for a couple of pictures, the group soon came back and demanded fresh pictures.
At this time, Shaw had refused, noting that he had come to eat with friends and did not want to be disturbed. The belligerent group refused to heed this, until his friend called the hotel manager and complained. After this, the hotel manager had asked the accused to leave.
While the remainder of his meal passed without interference, the group had waited into the early hours of Wednesday for Shaw to emerge. As Shaw and Yadav left after dinner, they were attacked with baseball bats. The car windshield was attacked as they sat inside the vehicle and the accused smashed the front and rear windows of their car.
While Shaw was shifted to another car, the accused also chased the vehicle of Shaw's friend. According to reports, Yadav's was chased by three motorcycles and a white-coloured car at around 4:00 am, with the vehicle being attacked as it took a U-turn near a petrol pump.
Investigation into the case is underway.
(With inputs from agencies)
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