Pune: Shahrukh Sheikh, a notorious criminal booked under MCOCA and a key member of the Tipu Pathan gang, was killed in a police encounter at Lamboti in Mohol Taluka, Solapur District. Following this encounter, it was expected that police would soon apprehend the remaining fugitives. However, so far, police have managed to catch only two of the absconding accused — both of whom surrendered themselves to the Kalepadal police. Five accused are still on the run, and there is talk that despite strict action, the gang members are not deterred by the police.
After Shahrukh Sheikh was killed, Rajesh Dilip Pawar and Mateen Hakim Syed (resident of Ramtekdi) surrendered to Kalepadal Police. However, five accused remain at large.
The Tipu Pathan gang members had claimed that a plot in Hadapsar belonged to Ijaz Sattar Pathan. They removed a tin shed from the land and put up a signboard in Tipu Pathan’s name. They then demanded ₹20 lakhs as ransom for returning the property. Following this, a case under MCOCA was registered at Kalepadal Police Station against 17 gang members including Tipu Pathan. Rizwan alias Tipu Sattar Pathan, Ijaz Sattar Pathan, Nadeem Babar Khan, Sadam Salim Pathan, Ijaz Yusuf Inamdar, Sajid Jibrail Nadaf, Irfan Nasir Sheikh, Zaid Salim Bagwan, and Azim alias Antya Mahamand Hussain Sheikh were arrested in this case.
Police had been pursuing eight absconding accused. Of these, Shahrukh Sheikh was killed in the police encounter at Lamboti, while two others subsequently surrendered. However, five accused are still at large.
A search for the remaining accused is ongoing. Crime Branch and Kalepadal Police teams are actively pursuing them, and they will be arrested soon. — Dhanaykumar Godse, Assistant Commissioner of Police
