In a swift operation, Pune Police has apprehended 17 individuals allegedly involved in the heinous murder of a 35-year-old man near Mangala Talkies on Independence Day. The arrest was made within 48 hours of the crime, marking a significant breakthrough in the case, police official said on Friday.
On Independence Day 35-year-old man named Nitin Mehan Mhaske resident of Tadiwala Road, was brutally murdered by a gang using swords, knives, and stones near Mangala Talkies. After this murder, the police launched an investigation which led to the arrests of 17 people involved in the crime.
Deputy Commissioner of Crime Branch, Amel Zende, informed that the Pune Police Crime Branch teams successfully apprehended these suspects from various locations in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The main suspects in the crime, including Sagar aka Yallaya Erappa Kolanatti, Sushil Achyutrao Suryavanshi, Shashank aka Vrishab Santhesh Bengale, Gudagappa Fakirappa Bhagrai, Malesh aka Mallya Shivraj Koli, Kisher Sambhaji Patre, Sahil Manehar Kamble, Ganesh Shivaji Chaidhari, and Rehit Balaji Bandgar, all residents of Tadiwala Road, Pune, have been arrested. Additionally, a minor has also been detained. The case was initiated based on a complaint by the deceased Nitin Mhaske's friend, Satish Ananda Wankhede.
The incident took place as Nitin Mhaske and Satish Wankhede were returning home after watching a late-night movie at Mangala Talkies in city's Shivajinagar area. A group of individuals armed with sharp weapons attacked them outside the theatre.
10 of those arrested have history of criminal activities
Through careful technical analysis and information gathering, police teams tracked down the main suspect, Sagar Yallaya, and his accomplices in various areas including Latur, Solapur, Kolhapur, Pune rural, Pune city, and even as far as Raichur and Belgaum in Karnataka. A dedicated team led by Police Inspector Shabbir Syed of Crime Branch Unit I went to Karnataka and managed to arrest five accused from remote areas. The remaining suspects were apprehended in Vishrantwadi, Pune, and Chaufula, Pune Rural.
In addition to these arrests, Vivek Bhaelnath Navghane and Imran Hameed Shaikh were detained by Police Inspector Ajay Waghmare's team in the Mundhwa area. Akash Sunil Gaikwad was arrested by the team of Police Inspector Ashok Indalkar in Khadakwasla. Lawrence Raju Pillay, Manej Vikas Howle, Rehan Mallesh Tupdhi, and Vicky Kashinath Kamble were arrested from Kharadi and Kalyaninagar. The police have seized four motorcycles and five mobile phones worth two and a half lakhs from the arrested individuals. It has been revealed that ten of those arrested have a history of criminal activities. The arrested individuals have been handed over to Shivajinagar Police for further investigation in the case.
