E-Paper
81 murders in Pune over petty issues in two years
According to investigators, the murders were committed over reasons as petty as looking at assailants or refusing money to strangers demanding it for alcohol or going close to bike-borne assailants.
As many as 81 murders in the past two years were committed over petty reasons in Pune and the maximum number of these murders were reported in zone 5. According to police officials, as many as 115 murders took place in 2022, 45 out of which were due to flimsy reasons. Whereas around 100 murders took place in 2021, 36 out of which were due to petty reasons.
According to investigators, the murders were committed over reasons as petty as looking at assailants or refusing money to strangers demanding it for alcohol or going close to bike-borne assailants. Members belonging to over 125 gangs were arrested under the draconian provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the past two years but the number of murders rose and the involvement of juveniles came to the fore.
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Additional commissioner of police (crime) Ramnath Pokale said, “We are trying our best to wean the youth away from crime. At the same time, strong action is being taken under MCOCA and other stringent acts to curb organised crime, and most of the main gangsters and gangs are now in jail due to strong and effective action taken by the Pune crime branch under the guidance of seniors.”
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The crime branch found that the cement blocks lying unused on pavements after completion of road works were proving handy in committing murders. Most of the assailants had used cement blocks for murdering their targets. The crime branch also found that 21 youngsters belonging to small-time gangs were killed out of revenge by rival gang members. In 2022, 22 youths were killed with sharp weapons over similar reasons. The crime branch found that crime as portrayed in television and films was influencing criminal behaviour. For instance, the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad areas saw a significant rise in the posting of bhai content on social media a few years ago.
