Cabbie thrashes 70-yr-old man for objecting to spitting on road in Thane, video goes viral

Thane: Vartak Nagar police have arrested an app-based cab driver for assaulting a senior citizen who objected to him spitting on the road on TuesdayNagar police have arrested an app-based cab driver for allegedly verbally abusing and assaulting a 70-year-old man who objected to him spitting on the road near Jupiter Hospital in Thane on Tuesday evening. The accused even picked up a stone to strike the elderly man on the head, police claimed.

A video of the assault went viral on social media, triggering widespread condemnation from citizens and political leaders.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde directed police to take strict action against the accused, identified as Nishant Shukla. MNS also raised concerns over rising incidents of road rage and violence in public spaces.

The incident sparked outrage among netizens too. FrustratedMumbaikar@IrkedMumbaikar posted on X: The assault on a senior citizen in Thane is deeply disturbing and deserves strongest legal action. No disagreement justifies violence, especially on elderly person. Accountability must be swift and justice must prevail to send clear message that such acts have no place in society.

“These spitters deserve belt treatment. Nothing less will do,” Farhad Tarapore posted on X.

“Spitting, littering n urinating is very common. Education doesn’t make any sense. Same Indians when we go abroad behave we r the very decent. Go to Dubai. All the areas r clean. Go to Indians dominated area n feel the difference with spits n trash. what r we teaching to next gen,” said Ramnath Kavle in his X post.

Police said the victim was reluctant to register a complaint, and hence the case was registered on a complaint by Shiv Sena’s Nitesh Patole.

According to the FIR, the altercation took place Tuesday around 7pm, when the senior citizen objected to the cab driver spitting outside his vehicle. The accused allegedly became enraged, hurled abuses and physically assaulted the senior citizen in front of his wife and family members.

The complaint alleged that Shukla punched the 70-year-old and then tried to strike him on the head with a stone. The elderly man fell to the ground following the assault. The dramatic sequence of events unfolded before passersby, many of whom expressed shock at the level of violence triggered by what began as a minor objection over civic behaviour.

After the video of the assault went viral, local Sena workers traced the accused and handed him over to Vartak Nagar police. Authorities filed a case against him under relevant BNS sections, including 109 (attempt to murder) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace). The seriousness of the alleged attack, particularly the use of a stone, has drawn legal scrutiny from investigators.

A senior police officer said they are examining the viral video, witness statements, and other evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events.