Pune: Lonikand Police Foil Murder Plot, Seize 7 Firearms and 23 Live Cartridges
Wagholi, 8th September 2024: Lonikand Police thwarted a planned murder driven by old enmity, preventing a major crime in the city. The police arrested seven gang members, seizing seven country-made pistols and 23 live cartridges in the process.
The swift action was carried out under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4), Himmat Jadhav, and Senior Police Inspector Pandit Rejitwad of Lonikand Police Station, Pune City Police.
The gang, affiliated with the notorious Enjoy Group from Hadapsar, Swargate, and Lohianagar, was allegedly plotting to kill Vishal alias Jangalya Satpute, a hardened criminal, as part of a premeditated attack. The intervention came as a series of murders have been plaguing Pune, and this swift police action likely prevented another fatal incident.
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
1. Shubham alias Mater Anil Jagtap (27)
2. Sumit Uttareshwar Jadhav (26)
3. Amit Mhasku Avchare (27)
4. Omkar alias Bhaiyya Ashok Jadhav (24)
5. Ajay alias Sagar Balkrishna Hegde (27)
6. Raj Basavaraj Swamy (26)
7. Latikesh Gautam Pol
The case (Crime Register No. 847/2024) was registered under the Arms Act, Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), and Maharashtra Police Act after the gang attempted to attack their rival in the Kolwadi area near Saswad. Based on a complaint, Lonikand Police launched an investigation, during which two police teams were dispatched to different parts of Pune and neighboring areas, including Saswad, Hadapsar, Kondhwa, Chakan, and Pimpri Chinchwad.
A breakthrough came when confidential informants tipped off the police, leading to the arrest of two key gang members, Shubham Jagtap and Sumit Jadhav, in the Mundhwa area. Further interrogation revealed the involvement of the other five suspects, who were subsequently apprehended in the Navle Bridge, Katraj area.
During the operation, the police confiscated two country-made pistols and nine live cartridges from the accused, Amit Awachare and Sagar Hegde. Over the course of the investigation, an additional four country-made pistols and 12 live cartridges were recovered, bringing the total to seven firearms and 23 rounds of ammunition. Police also seized two vehicles and seven mobile phones, valued at ₹9.14 lakh, believed to have been used in the crime.
The operation was conducted under the guidance of Commissioner of Police, Pune City, Amitesh Kumar; Joint Commissioner of Police, Pune City, Ranjan Kumar Sharma; and Additional Commissioner of Police, Manoj Patil. The investigation team, led by API Ravindra Godse, included officers from Lonikand Police Station: Kailas Salunke, Swapnil Jadhav, Ajit Farande, Shubham Chinke, Sainath Rokade, Amol Dhone, Deepak Kokre, and others.
The accused are currently in police custody for five days as the investigation continues.
