Panvel: Police have filed a case against three individuals for encroaching on land allotted to Navi Mumbai police force for firing practice range. The accused claimed the land near Vaje village in Panvel Taluka belonged to them and attempted to take possession of it. The accused have been identified as Baburao Patil, JCB owner Ananta Patil, and JCB operator Samadhan Kailas Shinde.

As the Navi Mumbai police commissionerate lacks a dedicated firing range, the state government had in 2020 allotted 33.30 acre of land near Vaje village, Panvel taluka, for setting up a firing range for police officers and personnel. While Navi Mumbai police has taken possession, no operations have commenced.

Additionally, orders have been issued prohibiting unauthorized entry and the grazing of cattle or animals in the area. Despite this, Baburao Patil from Vaje village claimed the land was under his possession and initiated correspondence with the revenue department to assert his claim. However, the revenue department rejected his claim.

On May 24, Baburao Patil and the others unlawfully entered the land and tried to encroach using a JCB machine. Panvel Taluka Police rushed to the spot, seized the JCB, and registered a case against the trio.