New Delhi: The Pimpri Chichwad police in Maharashtra’s Pune district have suspended three of its officers and seven other personnel in connection with the incident in which ink was thrown at senior Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil. At the same time, according to the Indian Express, the three men arrested after the incident are now facing attempt to murder charges.The incident had occurred in Pimpri city on Saturday in apparent protest against minister Patil’s controversial remark about Dr B.R. Ambedkar and social reformer Jyotiba Phule.“We have suspended seven police personnel and three officers in connection with the incident. All of them were part of the minister’s security cover during his visit,” Pimpri Chinchwad police commissioner Ankush Shinde said.Three people threw ink at Patil on Saturday evening when he was stepping out of one of the office-bearer’s houses in Pimpri. Police have detained the trio involved in the act. They have been identified as members of the Samata Sainik Dal, an organisation founded by Ambedkar in 1924, and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, a political party founded by Prakash Ambedkar four years ago, police told the Indian Express.#WATCH | Ink thrown at Maharashtra cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil in Pimpri Chinchwad city of Pune district, over his remark on Dr BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. pic.twitter.com/FBRvRf2K4g— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2022“Around 5.50 pm on Saturday when Minister Chandrakant Patil was coming down the stairs, a person suddenly came running and threw a black liquid substance on his face. The person who threw the substance and his accomplices were detained on the spot. They have been identified as Manoj Bhaskar Gharbade (34), an organising member of Samata Sainik Dal, and Dhananjay Bhausaheb Ijgaj (29), a member of Samata Sainik Dal, and Vijay Dharma Ovhal (40), secretary with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. These persons chanted the slogan—Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil, Mahatma Phule aani Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar yancha vijay aso (victory to…),” a statement from the police in Marathi says, according to the Indian Express.“An offence in this regard has been registered at Chinchwad police station under Indian Penal Code sections 307 (Attempt to murder), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 500 (Defamation), 501 (Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 120B (Criminal Conspiracy). Senior Inspector Krishnadeo Kharade is conducting further probe,” the statement continues.The attack on the senior BJP leader came a day after he made a statement in Aurangabad district.Speaking in Marathi at an event in Aurangabad on Friday, Patil, the Higher and Technical Education Minister, had said that Ambedkar and Phule did not seek government grants for running educational institutions, they “begged” people to gather funds for starting schools and colleges. The use of the word “begged” stirred up a controversy.Patil’s remarks have been criticised by opposition parties including the Nationalist Congress Party, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT). The minister later tried to backtrack by claiming that he was using “begging” in a non-derogatory way, similar to the corporate social responsibility idea: “What I meant was begging for funds is similar to present-day concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility, donations or crowd-funding… I should not have used the word ‘begging.’ The use of such a word is common practice in rural areas. I should have instead used the word crowd-funding. This morning, I apologised for it yet this attack happened.”After the attack, Patil requested state home minister Devendra Fadnavis not to take action against any police officer or personnel for security lapse. Fadnavis stepped in to say that Patil’s statement was misconstrued: “This is a very unfortunate incident. Though one word in his sentence may have been wrong, but the meaning of the sentence should be considered… Regarding the one word that was hurtful, Chandrakant Patil gave an explanation and issued an apology. After that, such a reaction is unfortunate…It is important to be mindful while making speeches but the gist must also be understood.”Though a Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson condemned the attack, she also said that the ruling party should not be making statements of the kind Patil did. “We condemn the attack. But at the same time, we also deplore the tendency among members of the ruling party to first make disparaging remarks against national icons and then apologise,” the Indian Express quoted Manisha Kayande as saying.(With PTI inputs)