4 cars & bikes vandalized in Panchavati

Nashik: A gang of eight to ten men armed with sharp weapons and sticks created panic in the More Mala area of Panchavati late on Sunday night by abusing residents and vandalising four vehicles, including two cars and two motorcycles.The Panchavati police have registered a case of rioting against the gang.According to police, the accused arrived in vehicles around 11:30pm and began hurling abuses at residents. Armed with sticks and axe-like sharp weapons, they smashed bikes and two-wheelers parked along the roadside.The incident forced shopkeepers to pull down their shutters while residents rushed indoors. Some locals claimed that the attackers also fired rounds in the air to intimidate people.However, senior police inspector of the Panchavati Police Station Gajendra Patil denied any firing. Patil added that, according to the complaint filed by Nilesh Ranmale, the accused are linked to a gang led by Harshad Patankar. Patankar allegedly suspected that Ranmale had informed the police about his whereabouts.