In a major breakthrough, Kurar Police have arrested Santosh Sharma, shooter in the twin firing cases on Thursday. Earlier, police had arrested five men who played key roles in conspiring, orchestrating the firings following incarcerated mobster Uday Pathak. All the accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Police said, Sharma, who had fired multiple rounds in the air at two spots in Kurar village, Malad (E) after which chits were thrown, demanding an extortion amount of ₹1 crore each, failing which, there would be consequences. Sharma, a native of Uttar Pradesh, was arrested late on Wednesday evening from Surat. Sharma and Pathak had met in their village and used to live in the same flat at Malad (E).
The first incident of firing was reported at 1.30 pm where a bike-borne shooter fired a round at Anand Medical and Book Centre at Bhim Nagar in Kurar and around ten minutes later, a similar instance was reported from Shivaji Nagar area where a shooter fired two to three rounds at Rokadia Traders, an imitation jewellery shop.
Late on Tuesday, police had arrested five members of gang associated with Pathak-- Nikhil Rokade (30), Vikas Pandey alias Pillu (23), Jeetu Garasiya alias Chitlya (30), Suraj Sagre (28) and Praveen Baviskar alias Parry (22). Dr D S Swami, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 12) said, the arrested five people had planned and conspired the firing, following Pathak’s orders and obtained a country-made weapon. While Sharma just fired rounds in the air, it was these five men who did the recce, selected and vetted targets, slipped on the chits in the crowded areas to spread terror, DCP Swami added.
