4 days Ago By Gitesh Shelke
Pune: A 21-year-old man was hacked to death with iron rods and billhooks while another sustained serious injuries after being hit by two bullets fired during a clash between rival groups of youngsters near Pune. A festering dispute over the last few days between the two groups led to the clash at Sambrewadi near Khanapur, about 25km from Pune off the road to Panshet, between 10.30pm on Saturday and 1am on Sunday, police said.
Three bullets were fired during the clash, two of which hit the injured person, while the third was fired in air, police said. Later, the police detained suspects from either side and registered cross complaints of rioting, unlawful assembly, murder, attempt to murder and other charges. Police are yet to recover the weapons used in the crime but have recovered an iron rod, a billhook, a live cartridge and an empty bullet case from the crime scene.
Police identified the deceased as Rohit alias Bhorya Dhile, who was in a dispute with a rival, Tejas Wagh. The injured victim has been identified as Somnath Ananta Wagh, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in a serious condition. Somnath's uncle, Suresh Dashrath Tagunde, stated in one of the complaints that Rohit Dhile had called and abused Tejas before challenging the latter to meet him at Khanapur Chowk to settle their issue.
The groups then assembled at the spot where the clash occurred. Superintendent of police (Pune rural) Pankaj Deshmukh said, "Dhile died of injuries caused by billhooks, choppers, and iron rod. Of the 10 detained, six are from his rival group and we have a .
12 bore rifle used by Tejas's accomplice Mangesh alias Munna Darwatkar to fire in the air. It is a licensed rifle and is owned by Darwatkar's relative, who is a serving staffer of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Darwatkar opened fire in the air when the clash between the groups commenced.
We have seized the rifle." "The other two bullets were fired from a country-made pistol by Dhile's accomplice Chetan alias Dadya Jawalkar and the same hit Somnath Wagh," he said. "We have detained four members of Dhile's group," Deshmukh said.
"Dhile and Wagh were at loggerheads for the last few days owing to the rivalry between them. The group members were having animosity owing to local issues, and tensions between the groups were seen for the last 15 days," he said. "Late on Saturday night, Dhile called Wagh's cousin Tejas and asked him to visit Khanapur if he had the courage to do so.
Following this, Tejas, Somnath, and others reached Khanapur and then to Sambrewadi in four-wheelers and on two-wheelers," he said. "Dhile and his five group members were waiting for them at Sambrewadi. Wagh's close aide fired in the air as soon as he got down from the four-wheeler.
Dhile and his group members charged at them and Dhile's close aide fired two bullets," he said. "Wagh's group members then chased and hacked Dhile to death," he said. Following the incident, a strong police bandobast was deployed at Khanapur and at Sambrewadi on Sunday to maintain peace.
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