Attack on Prithvi Shaw: Mumbai police arrest fourth accused

Mumbai: The number of arrests in connection with the attack on cricketer Prithvi Shaw earlier this week during an argument over clicking selfies reached four on Saturday, a Mumbai police official said.

Shaw was allegedly manhandled and his car attacked with a baseball bat after a row that started in a luxury hotel in the early hours of Wednesday over clicking selfies.

While social media influencer Sapna Gill was held on Thursday evening, her friend Shobhit Thakur (19) was held on Saturday, the official said.

In the interim, two more persons were held, which has taken the total number of arrests to four, while an equal number of people are wanted, he said.

Eight persons were charged with rioting, assault, putting a person in fear of death or of grievous in order to commit extortion, criminal intimidation and other offences by Oshiwara police in connection with the incident on the complaint of Shaw's friend Ashish Yadav.

A probe has found Thakur, from Lokhandwala in the western suburb of Andheri, has played a vital role in the incident, the police official said.

As per police, Gill and Thakur had approached Shaw for selfies, which led to an argument as the cricketer refused to oblige after a couple of mobile phone photographs.

Gill and Thakur as well as six friends waited for Shaw and his friend outside the hotel and chased them and also broke their car's windscreen with a baseball bat.

Sensing trouble, Shaw shifted to another car, while Yadav drove the attacked vehicle to Oshiwara police station and lodged a complaint.

Meanwhile, advocate Ali Kashif Khan, representing Gill, said "a case of brawl, fight and verbal spat between the parties has been given the colour of a fake extortion case".