Thane (Maharashtra): In connection with the Ulhasnagar firing incident, the police have taken into custody Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and two of his associates.
Responding to the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadanavis have directed a comprehensive investigation. A specialized Crime Branch Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been constituted to probe the matter thoroughly.
According to police reports, the dispute unfolded when Vaibhav Gaikwad, accompanied by his father Ganapati Gaikwad and their supporters, arrived at the Hill Line police station around 9:30 to 9:45 pm on Friday to register a complaint related to a land dispute.
Simultaneously, leaders from the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), Mahesh Gaikwad, Rahul Patil, and Chainu Jadhav, along with their supporters, also reached the police station to file a complaint regarding the same piece of land.
Tensions escalated as supporters from both the BJP and Sena engaged in heated arguments and slogans outside the police station premises. The situation intensified when Mahesh Gaikwad, Rahul Patil, and Chainu Jadhav entered the cabin of senior officer Anil Jagtap at the Hill Line Police Station. BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad subsequently joined them in the cabin.
Amidst the commotion, supporters from both sides continued their uproar outside. When Senior Police Inspector Anil Jagtap emerged from his cabin to address the situation, MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, who was inside the cabin, suddenly fired shots at Mahesh Gaikwad and Rahul Patil, causing serious injuries to both.
The critically injured Mahesh Gaikwad and Rahul Patil have been admitted to Jupiter Hospital in Thane for medical treatment.
Thane Additional CP Datta Shinde commented on the incident, stating, "Based on the evidence at hand, there was no indication of self-defense. The injured parties were seated, merely observing the CCTV screen. No argument or provocation occurred, yet Ganpat Gaikwad aimed and fired at them."
A total of ten rounds were discharged during the Ulhasnagar incident, with doctors successfully removing six bullets from Mahesh Gaikwad's body, according to the Additional CP.
—Input from Agencies.