Special Correspondent
Pune : Shahrukh alias ‘Hatti’ Rahim Shaikh, a notorious criminal from Pune, was shot dead in a police encounter near Mohol in Solapur district during the early hours of Sunday. The encounter occurred when Shahrukh, wanted in a criminal case registered at the Kalepadal Police Station, opened fire at a police team attempting to apprehend him. In retaliation, police returned fire, resulting in his death. The incident took place around 5 a.m.
Shahrukh had been absconding since March 2025 after a case under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Sections 308(2) and 329(3) was filed against him at Kalepadal Police Station. He and his associate Noman Sayyed (age 20, resident of Hadapsar) were accused of assaulting a food delivery boy and robbing him of his mobile phone and ₹630 in cash. The victim, Umar Shakeel Shaikh (age 21, resident of Mohammadwadi), had been delivering ice cream on his motorcycle through a food delivery app when he was stopped by the duo and threatened with a sharp weapon. When the victim resisted, he was slashed with a sickle, causing an injury near his ear.
Later the same night, the accused reportedly assaulted an elderly man with a wooden stick in Sayyadnagar due to a previous dispute, spreading fear in the locality. This incident occurred around 1 a.m. on March 14.
Following the incidents, Noman Sayyed was arrested. He already had six criminal cases registered against him. However, Shahrukh managed to evade arrest and remained on the run for over three months. Based on intelligence, police received a tip-off that he was hiding in Lamboti village near Mohol in Solapur district.
A team from Crime Branch Unit 5, led by Assistant Police Inspector Madan Kamble, along with support from two personnel from Mohol Police Station, reached Lamboti in the early hours of Sunday to apprehend Shahrukh. The operation commenced around 3 a.m.
As police tried to capture him, Shahrukh reportedly fired at the officers. In the ensuing encounter, he was shot and critically injured. He was rushed to Solapur District Hospital, where he was declared dead. The Mohol Police Station informed the Solapur District Control Room about the incident around 5 a.m.
Shahrukh’s death marks the end of a long manhunt and is being seen as a significant action against organized crime in Pune.
