Pune city has witnessed two shocking incidents of violent assault and robberies within a week, both stemming from disputes over alcohol. These brutal attacks have left victims severely injured and residents deeply concerned about safety in their neighbourhoods.
The first incident occurred on Sunday evening in Somnath Nagar, Vadgaon Sheri, involving 29-year-old Mokshit Sunil Verma, a resident of Viman Nagar. The accused have been identified as Balu Masu Salve (21), Abhijit Jagannath Sampatte (18), Nikhil Subhash Darekar, and Vaibhav Bapu Chavan. According to the police, victim Mokshit Verma was traveling in a car with liquor from a wine shop in Somnath Nagar. The accused Balu Salve demanded that Mokshit bring alcohol from the wine shop for them also. When Mokshit refused, the attackers chased his car on their two-wheelers, threw stones, and broke the car's windows. They then forced him out of the vehicle, beat him, and robbed him of his car, mobile phone, and cash amounting to ₹5,35,000. A case has been registered under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Similarly, the second incident occurred on July 13 around 2pm at Minatai Thackeray Vasahat in Gultekdi, where victim Bhimrao Narsappa Manpade, a resident of Dhankawadi, was assaulted and robbed by a goon identified as Aman Shakir Shaikh (19) and his accomplices. Manpade, who resides in Sainath Society, Dhankawadi, was stopped by Shaikh near Ek Dil Mitra Mandal and demanded money for liquor. When Manpade refused, Shaikh and his accomplices attacked him with a Koyta (sickle) and forcibly took ₹14,000 from him. Manpade tried to record the assault on his mobile phone, but Shaikh smashed his phone and threatened the residents not to intervene. Manpade has lodged an FIR at Swargate Police Station.
