Congress corporator murder: 5 out of 8 killers identified, cops launch manhunt

While the police have formed teams to arrest the assailants, the Thane crime branch has launched a parallel investigation in this case...

arvind.walmiki@hindustantimes.com

A CCTV grab from the footage recorded by the cameras installed in the parking lot. (HT photo)

A day after the gruesome murder of Bhiwandi Congress corporator Manoj Mhatre, 53, police have identified five out of the eight assailants who executed the crime on Tuesday night. While the police have formed teams to arrest the assailants, the Thane crime branch has launched a parallel investigation in this case.

Deputy commissioner of police (Bhiwandi zone) Manoj Patil said “Eyewitnesses have identified the accused. We suspect them to be from Bhiwandi,and have launched a manhunt to arrest them.”

The police, however, are yet to recover the gun and the sword used in the crime.

Patil said, “The assailants fired three bullets at Mhatre, one of which struck him in the back. They also chopped off one of his arms. Though Mhatre was first rushed to a nearby private medical facility, he was shifted to Jupiter Hospital in Thane after his condition deteriorated. He died during treatment.”

The incident

Mhatre, a resident of Oswalwadi and a Congress corporator in Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, was attacked by eight men around 9.30pm while his driver was parking car. Mhatra had returned home after attending a meeting. While six of them attacked Mhatre, the remaining caught the driver and threatened him of dire consequences if he tried to save the corporator. The Narpoli police have booked all the assailants under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.