A property dealer was fatally shot and hacked to death at a highway restaurant near Pune, in a brutal attack caught on CCTV camera. The incident occurred on the Pune-Solapur highway, roughly 140 km from Pune's city centre, where the victim, identified as Avinash Balu Dhanve (34), was targeted by a group of men due to a suspected gang rivalry.
The attack took place in the presence of other people at the eatery, including a family with two children. Two assailants entered the restaurant and shot Dhanve in the head while he was on a call, prompting his associates to flee. Subsequently, six more individuals stormed in, with one hacking at Dhanve and others joining in with machetes.
Superintendent of Police Pankaj Deshmukh disclosed that Dhanve had a criminal history with charges such as attempted murder. Recently bailed under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, Dhanve’s murder is believed to be premeditated, stemming from gang animosity.
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''The deceased was a criminal on police records with multiple cases, including attempted murder and those under Arms Act, registered against him in the past. He was recently released on bail in a case under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The murder seems premeditated, and we believe it is the fallout of a rivalry between two criminal groups, both of which are active in and around Alandi,'' the senior official said as quoted by Indian Express.
Initial investigation suggests a conflict between two gangs as the motive behind the murder. Police have formed five teams to probe the case while 10 suspects have been identified and efforts are underway to apprehend them.