A 42-year-old vice president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Yuva Morcha (Bhiwandi Gramin) and his cousin were brutally murdered by armed assailants in Bhiwandi Taluka on Monday night.
Incident Details
The deceased have been identified as Prafful Tanadagi (42), BJP Yuva Morcha Bhiwandi Gramin vice president, and his cousin Tejas Tanadagi (22), both residents of Khardi village in Bhiwandi Taluka. The attack occurred around 11:10 PM near their office on the Bhiwandi-Chinchoti Road.
According to police, Prafful and Tejas had just closed their office and were about to head home when two men armed with sharp weapons (a sword and a knife) attacked them. Locals later found the victims lying in a pool of blood and rushed them to a private hospital in Anjurphata, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.
CCTV Evidence and Police Investigation
Police rushed to the spot after receiving information and launched an investigation. CCTV footage from the area shows two men attacking the victims. Officials suspect the murder may be linked to a real estate business dispute.
Umesh Tanadagi, a cousin of the deceased, said he was alerted to the incident by a villager around 11:30 PM. “I rushed to the office and found Tejas bleeding on the road. Prafful was found nearby inside the office, also critically injured,” he said.
Family’s Allegations
Family members claimed Prafful was attacked a year ago but no police action was taken. They believe the same group may be behind the latest attack.
Political Reactions
MLA Mahesh Chaughule and other BJP leaders visited the hospital and demanded swift police action. Chaughule confirmed that Prafful Tanadagi was the BJP Yuva Morcha vice president from Bhiwandi Gramin.
FIR and Accused
An FIR has been registered against Vickky Mhatre, Kalpesh Vaiti, Ajay Tanadagi, and nine others under Sections 103(1), 61(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Senior Police Inspector Harshvardhan Barve of Bhiwandi Taluka said, “We have registered an FIR against 12 people based on the complainant’s suspicion. So far, no arrests have been made. The motive appears to be a business dispute. Six teams have been formed to trace the accused. CCTV confirms that two men, carrying a sword and a knife, carried out the attack. A total of five persons, including the deceased, had left the office that night, and one of them sustained a minor injury. Prafful was stabbed multiple times and suffered severe injuries.”
Security Measures
Heavy police security has been deployed in Khardi village to prevent unrest. Following the murder, the victims’ families initially refused to claim the bodies, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused. After police assurances, the bodies were taken for further procedures.
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