5 suspects held in Pandharpur firing case

Aurangabad

Some persons had opened fire on a woolen clothes seller at Pandharpur on Tuesday night. The Waluj MIDC police arrested five suspects in this case on Wednesday.

Police said, around 30 woolen clothes sellers from Madhya Pradesh have erected temporary stalls on the streets of Pandharpur. They sell sweaters, shawls, blankets and other warm clothes.

On Tuesday at around 9 pm, the sellers closed their shops and slept on the street. At around 11 pm, stall owner Mukesh Banjara (30) saw two persons taking the blankets and putting them in a Jeep (MH20 AG 6001). Banjara opposed them and asked them to give the money. However, Four persons sitting in the Jeep came out and severely beat him. Banjara shouted for help. Then his relatives Raju Banjara and others ran to help him. However, they also beat them with iron rods. The sellers then pelted the jeep with stones, but the robbers then opened fire. As the sellers gave stiff resistance to the attackers. Hence, they had to flee from the scene leaving their jeep on the spot.

On receiving the information, DCP Deepak Girhe, ACP Ashok Thorat, PI Sachin Ingole, PSI Chetan Ogale, Dhanraj Rathod, Avinash Dhage, Yogesh Shelke, Yashwant Gobade and others rushed to the spot and inspected the Jeep. The police found chilly powder, wooden sticks, iron roads and other articles in the Jeep. A case of dacoity has been registered with Waluj MIDC police station.

The police then launched search operations at various places in Waluj area. The police have arrested five suspects. PSI Rahul Nirval is further investigating the case.