Pune: A tragic incident occurred in Panchet where a group of visiting youths allegedly killed a local young man by striking him on the chest with a stone and then fled the scene. Following the incident, rural police arrested five individuals. The local crime branch and Velha police team conducted the operation.
The victim has been identified as Rohidas Kaluram Katkar (24), resident of Kadve village, Velha taluka. The accused arrested in connection with the case are Akash Subhash Bhise (21, resident of Narhe), Bhagwat Munjaji Asuri (20, resident of Narhe), Ritesh Uttam Jogdand (21), Umesh alias Bhaiya Rambhau Shelke (21), and Pandurang Bhanudas Sonawane (19). Avidas Kaluram Katkar (23) filed a complaint with Velha police station regarding the incident.
According to Police Superintendent Sandeep Singh Gill, all the accused are originally from Parbhani district and reside in the Narhe area of the city. On June 15, the group went on a bike ride to Panchet Dam. Around 7 PM while returning towards Pune, they stopped near a hotel to smoke a cigarette. At this time, an argument broke out between Rohidas Katkar and the accused. The accused assaulted him, hitting him on the chest with a stone, resulting in his immediate death. After the incident, all five accused fled the scene on motorcycles heading towards Pune.
The motorcycles used by the accused were black in color — one moped and one motorcycle, according to police investigation. Police examined CCTV footage from the area and found both vehicles passing through, heading towards Narhe village. They also managed to partially identify a vehicle number plate. Based on this, police began searching for the vehicles in the Narhe area, stated Gill.
Gill added that upon searching for the motorcycles, police found one at a clothing shop near Walhekar Chowk in Narhe. By tracing the vehicle number, police contacted the owner, who admitted lending his moped to his friend, accused Akash Bhise. Police took Bhise into custody and interrogated him. He confessed to the crime and named his accomplices. Police then arrested the other suspects as well. Further investigation is being conducted by Sub-Inspector Amit Deshmukh.
This operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Superintendent Sandeep Singh Gill, Additional Superintendent Ramesh Chopde, and Sub-Divisional Officer Sunilkumar Pujari. The local crime branch inspector Avinash Shilimkar, Velha police station in-charge Assistant Inspector Nitin Khamgal, Assistant Inspector Rahul Gawade, and police staff including Sachin Ghadge, Ajit Bhujbal, Mangesh Bhagat, Hanumant Pasalkar, Atul Dere, Amol Shedge, Ramdas Babar, Rahul Ghube, Prasanna Ghadge, Sub-Inspector Amit Deshmukh, constables Gyanadeep Dhiwar, Pankaj Moghe, Akash Patil, Rajendra Awade, Ajay Gardi, Somnath Jadhav, and Yuvraj Somwanshi were involved in this operation.
