Pimpri-Chinchwad: A police team from Pimpri-Chinchwad came under fire during an encounter with absconding suspects near Ranjangaon in Khed tehsil on Saturday. The accused later escaped into a sugarcane field after a brief exchange of gunfire with the police.
The incident took place in Soni Sangavi village of Khed tehsil when the crime branch team went to trace Shekhar Sambhaji Jadhav, 25, who is wanted in a firing case registered at Dighi Police Station.
Accused Were Absconding…
According to police, Jadhav and his accomplices had earlier opened fire on a youth in Charholi and had been absconding since then. The Crime Branch was tracking the accused through technical surveillance and received information that Jadhav was hiding near Ranjangaon.
Police said the team spotted Jadhav and his associates standing near a roadside while they were heading to seek help from rural police officials. On seeing the police, the accused allegedly tried to escape on a motorcycle. The police chased them in a vehicle.
Police Fired In Self-Defence…
During the chase, the accused reportedly threatened the police with a pistol and warned them not to follow. After reaching Soni Sangavi village, the suspects abandoned their motorcycle and ran towards a sugarcane field.
Police said that as officers moved closer, Jadhav allegedly shouted at his accomplice to “shoot these policemen". The accomplice then fired two rounds at the police team. In response, the police fired four rounds in self-defence.
Accused, Injured But Fled…
Officials suspect one of the accused may have been injured in the firing. However, the suspects managed to escape by taking cover inside the dense sugarcane field.
A fresh case has been registered against Shekhar Jadhav and his accomplices at Ranjangaon Police Station (under the Pune Rural Police Force). Pimpri-Chinchwad Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Dr Shivaji Pawar said a large search operation is underway with the help of rural police teams to trace the accused.
