The Panvel City Police have arrested a 25-year-old man for fatally shooting a construction worker who attempted to mediate a dispute. The accused, Prabhakar Janardan Waghe, alias Chilya, was apprehended from an Adivasi settlement in Khalapur.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening in Garada village, Panvel, where Baburao Waghmare (45) was working at a construction site. According to the police, Chilya got into an argument with another worker, prompting Waghmare to intervene. Enraged, Chilya allegedly shot Waghmare with a rifle before fleeing the scene.
Following the incident, the Panvel City Police launched an investigation and formed five special teams to track down the suspect. Eyewitnesses and local sources identified Chilya as the perpetrator. Acting on a tip-off, the police traced him to Khalapur, where he was hiding in a remote Adivasi settlement.
After his arrest, Chilya was presented before the First-Class Magistrate, who remanded him to police custody until April 3. Senior Police Inspector Nitin Thackeray is leading the investigation into the case.
"Waghmare was not involved in the initial dispute but was killed merely for attempting to defuse the situation. We are investigating the nature of the dispute," Thackeray said.
The arrested accused worked for a ghantagadi (garbage collection vehicle).
