Mumbai: Four arrested in just 8 hours in Chunabhatti firing case

The police with the accused. Pic/Rajesh Gupta

The Chunabhatti police nabbed four alleged accused involved in open firing which led to the death of Sumit Yerunkar and injuring four others.

After a broad daylight shootout near Chunabhatti police station, the police were successful in nabbing the accused in 8 hours after a thorough technical investigation.

"9 teams were formed to nab all the alleged accused. We could track them in 8 hours after the incident took place. Except for 1 accused, all of the alleged accused have a criminal record. The case is at its primary stage and it's premature to say the main motive of the crime. All the alleged accused had been nabbed from New Mumbai and one country-made pistol had been seized." Said DCP Zone 6 Hemarajsingh Rajput.

According to the police, Sumit Yerunkar (46) was shot dead in the incident. Yerunkar was present at the crime spot Shree Photo Studio as he wanted some photos clicked for his birthday.

Photos from the photo studio where the incident took place. Pic/Rajesh Gupta

He was accompanied by Madan Patil, Roshan Lokhande, and Aakash Khandagle in the shop. "While the photo shoot was going on some Sunil Patil and other co-accused just walked near a photo studio and started firing on Yerunkar and his associates. The photographer and one person were left unharmed in the incident," said a police officer.

A passerby girl Trisha Sharma (8) had been injured in the incident.

Police sources stated to mid-day that all the alleged accused had opened fire, however, none of them were trained. "None of the alleged accused had been trained to open fire, all of them had been shot in a close range," said a police officer.

The police had recovered some empty cases and bullets from the crime spot.

Although the investigation is at its primary stage, the police suspect that Yerunkar was killed due to personal rivalry. "The case is at its primary stage of investigation. The alleged accused and the victim had recently developed enmity and we suspect that Yerunkar was killed due to enmity in the groups," said DCP Zone 6 Hemarajsingh Rajput.

According to the police, Sumit Yerunkar had been acquitted in an MCOCA case recently and he did not venture out of his place of residence. "Since it was his birthday he wanted to put on flex in the nearby area and hence had a photoshoot done, we suspect that the alleged accused had kept a close tab on Yerunkar's movement," said an officer.

According to the police, On February 5, 2016, two men wearing a veil entered the office of Arihant Builders and opened fire which left Jitesh grievously injured.

The Chunabhatti police had registered a FIR and the case was handed over to the Anti Extortion Cell.

The probe revealed that the open firing was done at the behest of Sumit Yerunkar, the police had arrested Yerunkar and 8 others.

According to the police, in 2015, two alleged accused had barged into the Arihant builders' office and threatened the company to place an order for a supply of materials to Yerunkar, if not done the company would have to face dire consequences.

However, the company had refused to place any contract with Yerunkar and hence in a fit of rage, his men opened fire in Arihant builder's office.

According to the police, all 4 alleged are beneficiaries of the same building which has been reconstructed by the Arihant builders. "The exact motive remains unclear. We have identified that all the 4 accused are beneficiaries of the same project which is currently under construction by the said company," said an officer.

Yerulkar was arrested by the police in various cases such as cheating and murder.

The police had identified the alleged accused as Sagar Sawant (36), Sunil alias Sunny Patil (37), Narendra Alias Gajanan Patil (42) and Austosh alias Babu Gavand (24). They are yet to recover the phones and other pistols used by the alleged accused.

The group had been booked by the Chunabhatti police station under sections 302(Murder), 307 (Attempt to murder), 120 B (Criminal conspiracy), and under the relevant sections of the Arms Act and MCOCA. The court has granted them police custody up to January 5.