Pune: Arrests Made in Chikhali Shooting Incident, Police Confirm No Politics Involved

Chikhali, 15th May 2024: Voting for the Maval Lok Sabha Constituency took place on Monday (13th May). However, on the eve of polling, an incident of firing occurred in Jadhavwadi, Chikhali, causing chaos in the area. Given the timing, there was speculation about whether the incident had political motivations. However, the police swiftly arrested the accused and clarified that it stemmed from a commercial dispute, devoid of any political connection.

The arrested individuals are Harshal Sonwane (resident of Jadhavwadi, Chikhali), Shamling Chaudhary (resident of Moshi), and Keerthi Kumar Lilare. The case was filed by Ajay Sunil Phule (19 years old, resident of Mohan Nagar, Chinchwad) at the Chikhali police station.

Both Ajay Phule and Harshal Sonawane own gas stove repair shops in Jadhavwadi. Their ongoing dispute over customer acquisition escalated over the past six months, leading to frequent arguments. On 12th May, Harshal sent two accomplices to Ajay’s shop, prompting Ajay to be summoned near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Udyan on the Jadhavwadi to Pant Nagar road to resolve the issue. It was during this discussion that Harshal, as planned, brandished his pistol and fired three shots.

One of the bullets struck Ajay, injuring him, while another hit Harshal’s accomplice, Keerthi Kumar, in the neck, leaving him seriously wounded.

Upon receiving news of the incident, teams from Chikhali Police and the Crime Branch swiftly arrived at the scene. Ajay was rushed to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital in Pimpri for treatment. During this time, Ajay provided the police with the names of the assailants responsible for the shooting in Chikhali.

In response to the incident, which occurred on the eve of polling, senior officers instructed both the Chikhali Police and the Crime Branch to apprehend the suspects. Suspecting that one of the assailants may have sought medical attention due to injuries, the Chikhali police shared information about Keerthi Kumar on a social media group for doctors. Through this channel, they learned that a person matching the description provided by the police was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Morwadi, Pimpri. Acting swiftly, the police identified the accused, Keerthi Kumar, at the hospital.

Following this, the Crime Branch Unit 1 arrested Shamling Choudhary, who was involved in the crime. Upon receiving intelligence that Choudhary had fled to Dehu Road, the police swiftly detained him from the Dehu Road area.

Meanwhile, the main perpetrator of the shooting, Harshal Sonwane, remained at large following the incident and had turned off his mobile phone, presenting a challenge for law enforcement. The Chikhali police scrutinized CCTV footage from the incident area to determine Harshal’s whereabouts. With the obtained information regarding his direction of escape, the police traced his route to Chakan. Harshal was arrested from Nanekarwadi, Chakan.

Upon interrogation, the suspects revealed that the incident stemmed solely from a commercial dispute, devoid of any political motive, as clarified by the police.

This operation was conducted under the supervision of Pimpri Chinchwad Commissioner of Police Vinay Kumar Choubey, Additional Commissioner of Police Vasant Pardeshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Doifode, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 3) Dr. Shivaji Pawar, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Chakan Division Rajendra Singh Gaur, along with the team of Senior Police Inspectors Goraksh Kumbhar, Dnyaneshwar Katkar, Assistant Police Inspector Uddhav Khade, and others.