Former corporator and son of an ex-Shiv Sena MLA from Uddhav Thackeray's faction, Abhishek Ghosalkar, was shot dead by local activist Mauris Noronha over a personal dispute in Mumbai's Borivali during a Facebook live on Thursday.
Former Mumbai Mayor Vishakha Raut confirmed Ghosalkar's death in a post on Facebook. Ghosalkar was hospitalized at Karuna Hospital in Borivali where he succumbed to his injuries.
In the purported video of the incident that is now going viral on social media, Ghosalkar can be seen sitting with Noronha during a Facebook live, but in a dramatic turn of events, moments later Noronha fires shots at Ghosalkar in the abdomen and shoulder as the live streaming ends. Reports suggest that soon after firing at Ghosalkar, Noronha turned the gun on himself and died by suicide.
Watch the video here:
Mauris Noronha with Abhishek Ghosalkar during Facebook live |
Reports suggest that the two had recently reconciled after some disagreement, and Ghosalkar was invited to Mauris office for an event which was being livestreamed on Facebook.
This incident comes days after a BJP MLA was caught on camera firing at an Eknath Shinde faction leader inside a police station in Ulhasnagar. The incident had raised questions about Maharashtra's law and order situation.
Who is Abhishek Ghosalkar?
Abhishek Ghosalkar is a leader of the Thackeray group and the son of former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar. He has served as a corporator in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and is the director of Mumbai Bank. Known for solving citizens' issues, Abhishek is considered close to Aditya Thackeray.
Who is Mauris Noronha?
Mauris reportedly runs a voluntary organization in the Borivali area and is a self-proclaimed leader in local political circles.
Following the shooting, activists became aggressive, ransacking Mauris's office. The incident has heightened tension in the Dahisar area, prompting a large police presence.
Aditya Thackeray responded to the incident, expressing shock and stating that Abhishek Ghosalkar had recently met him at Matoshree. He criticised the prevailing situation in the state, emphasising the need to address hooliganism from all sides.
