Four murder shopkeeper for asking money for cigarettes in Pune

According to the police, at 2:30 pm on Sunday, three men came to the shop and took cigarettes. When Kadam asked for payment, the trio refused saying they are “bhais” of the area

Pune Police on Monday arrested four persons for the murder of a cigarette shop owner on Sunday afternoon in Baner. The deceased is identified as Santosh Narhari Kadam, 32, owner of Swara paan shop.

At 5:30pm on Sunday, the trio along with a gang arrived at the shop and attacked Kadam with weapons. Kadam was rushed to Medipoint hospital, but succumbed to his injuries undergoing treatment on Sunday night. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/ REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Two of the four were identified as Abhishake Lala Korde, 21, a resident of Omkar Colony in Pune; and Somnath Kalyan Chatur, 21, a resident of Mhalunge village in Mulshi, according to inspector (crime) Vaishali Galande of Chatuhshrungi police station who is investigating the case.

Meanwhile, the officials of Unit 4 of Pune police crime branch arrested two more identified as Vishal Shinde, a resident of Sangvi; and Prashant Kamshe, according to senior police inspector Anjum Bagwan of Unit 4.

The four were arrested in a joint effort by the local police and crime branch officials.

“The deceased’s shop is near an eatery run by his uncle, who is the complainant in the case, and another small shop run by his mother-in-law,” said an official close to the investigation.

The complaint was lodged by Ramprabhu Ranganath Mote, 39, a resident of Mulshi area of Pune. Mote, the deceased’s uncle, owns an eatery called Karan near Swara paan shop.

According to the police, at 2:30 pm on Sunday, three men came to the shop and took cigarettes. When Kadam asked for payment, the trio refused saying they are “bhais” of the area.

An argument ensued and one of the accused slapped Kadam before the complainant interfered and stopped the fight. The three left the shop without paying. At 5:30pm on Sunday, the trio along with a gang arrived at the shop and attacked Kadam with weapons. Kadam was rushed to Medipoint hospital, but succumbed to his injuries undergoing treatment on Sunday night.

“The complainant was alert enough to note down the number of the Honda Dio two-wheeler used by the assailants. We nabbed the vehicle’s owner Shinde, and later others,” said Bagwan. Shinde and Kamshe were hiding near a school in Sangvi and planning to flee the city, according to the police. The police are looking for one other person involved in the case.

One of the accused is a history-sheeter, according to Galande.

A case under Sections 302 (punishment for murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insult with an intention to provoke breach of peace), and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code along with Section 4(25) of Arms Act and Section 37(1)135 of Maharashtra Police Act was registered at Chatuhshrungi police station.