Pune: In a brazen display of violence, three bikes were set ablaze at Jai Bhawani Chowk in Warje a few days ago, sending shockwaves through the community. Furthermore, an autorickshaw and a Wagoner car fell victim to the chaos as their windows were shattered in the mayhem orchestrated by the notorious machete gang.
After that, yesterday, the machete gang again vandalised 12 vehicles and created terror in the area. This incident occurred between 1:30 and 2:30 PM on Monday, November 20, along the public road from Yashodeep Chowk to Vitthal Nagar Chowk.
Warje Malwadi resident Abhijit Bibhishan Dhanve (30) lodged a formal complaint at the Warje Malwadi Police Station in this case. Avinash Suresh Gample, alias Avya, hailing from Mahadevnagar, Warje, and 18-year-old Satish Pawan Rathod found themselves in police custody shortly after the incident. Notably, Gample has a criminal record.
The accused, identified as Vishal Sanjay Sonkar (19) and an accomplice, have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 392, 336, 323, 427, 504, and 34. Additionally, charges under the Maharashtra Police Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act have been levied against them.
According to the police, Dhanve, the victim, was sitting in his car as he awaited his father. At that time, a few assailants, armed with machetes, approached on bikes and ruthlessly smashed Dhanve’s car’s mirror. When confronted, they verbally abused Dhanve, physically assaulted him, and menacingly confiscated four thousand rupees from his pocket.
The chaos escalated as the gang targeted a dozen four-wheelers on the public road, brandishing sticks and machetes to strike fear into the hearts of the people. Furthermore, they threw stones, shattering the windows of nearby residences. Notably, the audacity of this daylight attack created panic among bystanders.
Responding swiftly to the distress calls, officers and personnel from the Warje Malwadi Police Station descended upon the chaos. The ensuing manhunt resulted in the arrest of Gample and Rathod, with the search intensifying for their cohorts still at large. The police are conducting further investigation into the case.
