Pune: In a significant breakthrough, the Pune Crime Branch arrested a 25-year-old man from Latur for the brutal murder of a youth in the Handewadi–Holkarwadi area near the Katraj bypass. The accused allegedly killed the victim by striking him on the head with a stone following a personal dispute.
The arrested individual has been identified as Asif Yunus Shaikh, a resident of Lane No. 5, Sayyadnagar, Hadapsar. The victim, Hanif Musa Shaikh (30), was a resident of Krishnanagar, Mohammadwadi, Hadapsar. The Fursungi Police had registered a case based on a complaint filed by the victim’s brother.
According to police officials, the incident came to light on May 10, when Hanif Shaikh’s body was found in an open space near the Handewadi–Holkarwadi crematorium. Preliminary investigation confirmed that the victim had been murdered with a heavy stone, which caused fatal head injuries.
Simultaneous investigations by Crime Branch Units 5 and 6 involved the scrutiny of over 50 CCTV footage clips from various locations near the bypass. The analysis led investigators to track Asif Shaikh’s movements, eventually leading to his arrest from Latur, where he had fled after committing the crime.
During interrogation, Asif confessed to holding a long-standing grudge against Hanif, who had allegedly assaulted him multiple times in the past. On the day of the incident, the two men had gone to the crematorium area, where Hanif, reportedly under the influence of alcohol, initiated a quarrel. A physical altercation broke out, and in a fit of rage, Asif fatally struck Hanif on the head with a stone before absconding to Latur.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Nikhil Pingale and Assistant Commissioner Rajendra Mulik. The Crime Branch team comprised Police Inspector Wahid Pathan, Assistant Inspector Madan Kamble, ASI Rajas Shaikh, and constables Balasaheb Sakate, Kanifnath Karkhele, Suhas Tambekar, Tanaji Deshmukh, Pratap Gaikwad, Pramod Tilekar, and Vinod Shivale.
Further investigations are underway to gather additional evidence and complete the charge sheet.
