Murder Convict Arrested After 3-Hour Hostage Standoff In Panvel 5 Rescued (WATCH)

Panvel (Navi Mumbai): Police arrested a 35-year-old murder convict after a tense, three-hour hostage standoff at Mangala Nivas in Panvel on Wednesday night. Five relatives held inside the flat were rescued unharmed, police and local reports said. Around 8.30pm, the accused, identified as Siban Babulal Mahato, barged into a rented flat (room 401) at Mangala Nivas, opposite the old tehsil office. Armed with a sickle and an axe, he locked the door and held his mother, brother and three other relatives hostage. Police said the crisis began from a long-running dispute over a plot of land. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 3) Prashant Mohite described the matter as a land dispute. Hindustan Times reported that police received the call and reached the spot within minutes.

a high-drama hostage crisis unfolded in Panvel, a city near Mumbai in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, stemming from a property dispute #panvel #hostage #Crime #police #nearmumbai #viralvideo twitter/SG5tet9kOZ

- NextMinute News (@nextminutenews7) September 4, 2025

Rescue operation and brave officers

A special team led by senior inspector Nitin Thackeray, inspector Shakir Patel and sub-inspector Pragya Munde led the response. Officers first tried to negotiate but talks failed. The rescue operation, Hindustan Times reported, lasted more than three hours. Police then forced open the door with help from the fire brigade and used chilli spray to try to disarm the accused.

Senior inspector Thackeray told Hindustan Times:“He pressed a sickle to his 16-year-old niece's throat, warning officers at the door that he would kill her if they entered the flat. Naik Samrat Daki and constable Sainath Mokal displayed extraordinary courage by acting swiftly and overpowering the accused when he was distracted amidst the chaos.”

The accused was overpowered and arrested at the scene. Police seized the sickle and the axe as evidence.

Injuries and hospital treatment

Four police personnel were injured during the rescue. Police naik Ravindra Pardhi suffered deep wounds to his shoulder and arm. Constables Madhav Shewale and Sainath Mokal suffered multiple injuries and naik Samrat Daki was severely hurt on his hand while blocking a blow. All four were rushed to the Panvel Sub-District Hospital and were later reported to be stable, police told Hindustan Times.

The Panvel city police registered a case based on a complaint by inspector Pragya Munde. Charges filed include sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for attempt to murder, causing grievous hurt to public servants, wrongful confinement, kidnapping and criminal intimidation. Sections 4 and 25 of the Arms Act were also added, according to the police report.

Previous conviction and motive

Police said Mahato was convicted in a 2018 murder case and had been released on bail on August 28. He told officers the dispute stemmed from a claim that his mother owned the plot on which the building stands and that the builder had usurped the land. He demanded the building be vacated. DCP Mohite said the standoff was“nerve-wracking” and praised the team for saving all hostages without harm.

Police on the bravery of cops

DCP Prashant Mohite commended the officers' bravery and said their swift action prevented a tragedy. "Our officers risked their lives to ensure the hostages were saved without harm. Their bravery deserves the highest recognition," he said.

The accused remains in custody. Police have begun further enquiries, including examining travel and phone records and questioning the building staff and neighbours. The seized weapons and the statements of all witnesses are part of the investigation.

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