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Three held for killing driver to steal car for robbery 

Feb 04, 2025 06:00 AM IST

The incident was reported on January 28 when the dead body of Rajesh Gaikwad from Nasik was found near Santwadi on Pune-Nashik highway

Pune rural crime branch unit arrested three individuals for allegedly murdering a 56-year-old car driver, a police official said on Monday. 

The accused, Vishal Chavan, Mayoor Solase and Ruturaj Sonawane, all from Nashik were arrested and a search of the prime accused Yuvraj Shinde is underway.  (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)
The accused, Vishal Chavan, Mayoor Solase and Ruturaj Sonawane, all from Nashik were arrested and a search of the prime accused Yuvraj Shinde is underway.  (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

The incident was reported on January 28 when the dead body of Rajesh Gaikwad from Nasik was found near Santwadi on Pune-Nashik highway. 

The accused, Vishal Chavan, Mayoor Solase and Ruturaj Sonawane, all from Nashik were arrested and a search of the prime accused Yuvraj Shinde is underway. 

Police said Gaikwad, a car driver came to Pune from Nashik on January 27. At around 10:30 pm, he called his wife to inform her that he was on his way back to Nashik but never returned. His mobile phone was found at Samadhan Hotel on Santwadi Road along the Pune-Nashik highway. Based on this information, his family members approached the Alephata police station and filed a missing complaint. 

The next day, police recovered his dead body in the Santwadi area. During the investigation, police analysed CCTV footage and noticed Gaikwad’s car was travelling in the opposite direction from where his body was found. Further investigation indicated that two other individuals were with Gaikwad when the car passed through the Chalakwadi toll booth. 

Pankaj Deshmukh, Pune rural SP said, “After analysis of CCTV footage and verifying information received from credible sources we identified the accused. During their search, we came to know that they were heading towards committing another crime on Kalyan-Otur Road. We laid the trap at Malshej ghat and arrested them.’’ 

Deshmukh further said that the accused were on record criminals and during interrogation confessed that they pretended to be passengers, approached Gaikwad and killed him. 

Avinash Shilimkar, police inspector at the local crime branch said, “The accused intended to steal the car and when the car driver resisted, they killed him with sharp weapons.” 

PI Dinesh Tayde of Alephata police station said, “Accused Vishal Chavan, Mayur Solase, Ruturaj Sonawane and Yuvraj Shinde had met each other in Nashik Jail. After getting out of jail, they hatched a plan to rob a jewellery shop.”  

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