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Autorickshaw driver critically injured in firing, machete attack linked to gang rivalry
The victim, identified as Akshay Balu Mhaske, was attacked around 9.50 am near the busy Shahu Bank Chowk. A group of assailants intercepted Mhaske while he was inside his autorickshaw, fired multiple rounds at him, and assaulted him with machetes and iron weapons before fleeing the spot.
PUNE: A 26-year-old autorickshaw driver was critically injured after unidentified assailants opened fire at him and attacked him with sharp weapons in Balajinagar area on Wednesday morning, in an incident police suspect is linked to the ongoing gang rivalry connected to the 2024 murder of former NCP corporator Vanraj Andekar.
The victim, identified as Akshay Balu Mhaske, was attacked around 9.50 am near the busy Shahu Bank Chowk. According to the police, a group of assailants intercepted Mhaske while he was inside his autorickshaw, fired multiple rounds at him and later assaulted him with machetes and iron weapons before fleeing the spot.
He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors stated that his condition remains critical.
Pune city crime branch has detained six accused linked to the case.
Police confirmed that Akshay is the brother of Akash Mhaske, an accused in the Vanraj Andekar murder case. Akash is currently lodged in jail for allegedly supplying firearms used in the 2024 murder, a case that triggered a series of retaliatory attacks and gang clashes across Pune.
Rajesh Bansode, additional commissioner of police (west), said, “A group of three to four persons fired four rounds at autorickshaw driver Akshay Mhaske and later attacked him with sharp and iron weapons. The victim suffered serious injuries and was shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.”
When asked about the motive behind the attack, Bansode said, “It is too early to comment on the motive. The investigation is underway and multiple teams have been formed. The exact reason behind the attack will become clear after the accused are arrested.”
Gauhar Hasan, deputy commissioner of police (crime), said, “The injured does not have any criminal record,” adding that teams have launched a search operation and are examining CCTV footage from nearby areas. Additional police deployment has also been made in sensitive pockets to prevent any escalation.
Police suspect the latest attack is part of the continuing feud between factions linked to the Andekar gang and the Komkar gang. The rivalry has led to several violent incidents in the city since the killing of Vanraj Andekar in Pune’s Nana Peth area in 2024.
Last year, 18-year-old Ayush Komkar, son of one of the accused in the Andekar murder case, was shot dead in what investigators suspected was a revenge killing. Subsequently, Ganesh Kale, brother of another gang member allegedly linked to the Ayush Komkar murder case, was hacked to death in Kondhwa.
In November 2025, another autorickshaw driver, Ganesh Kale, brother of Sammer Kale — an accused in the Vanraj Andekar murder case — was shot dead near Khadi Machine Chowk in Kondhwa. Police had then suspected the killing to be a retaliatory attack by members of the Andekar gang.
According to investigators, Akshay’s attack is also suspected to be another retaliation linked to the prolonged gang war that has continued to fuel violence in Pune over the past two years.
