Thane: BJP MLA arrested for firing at former KDMC corporator, Fadnavis orders high-level inquiry

Hill line police have arrested BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and two others for firing and injuring former KDMC corporator. Pic/Navneet Barhate

The Hill line police have arrested BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and two others for firing and injuring former corporator of KDMC and city president of Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde faction, Mahesh Gaikwad and his associate. The incident took place in the cabin of the senior police inspector, Hill line police station on Friday night. The police said a case has been registered against MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, his son Vaibhav Gaikwad and six others.

Maharashtra Deputy CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadanavis has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.

According to the police, MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and private security guard Harshal Kane fired indiscriminately at Mahesh Gaikwad. The incident has created an atmosphere of tension in Ulhasnagar and surrounding areas.

The police said on Friday night around 9:30 pm Vaibhav Gaikwad, came along with his supporters at Hill line police station in connection with the land dispute of Eknath Jadhav in Dwarli village which is under Hill line police station limits Later, Mahesh Gaikwad, Rahul Patil and Chainu Jadhav along with the workers came to file a complaint regarding the said land.

"The supporters of both the above groups were shouting and arguing with each other outside the police station. Due to this, there was confusion in the police station. Mahesh Gaikwad, Rahul Patil and Chainu Jadhav went and sat in the hall of Senior Police Inspector, Anil Jagtap of Hill line Police Station. Within minutes MLA Ganpat Gaikwad also came and sat in Jagtap's cabin. In the meantime, shouting and argument started in the premises outside the police station among supporters", a police officer said.

"When Anil Jagtap went outside to deal with the situation and bring it to control, MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, who was sitting in the cabin, suddenly started firing at Gaikwad with a revolver with the intention to killing Mahesh Gaikwad and Rahul Patil who were sitting in the cabin. In this, Gaikwad shot Mahesh Gaikwad and Rahul Patil in the chest and seriously injured them," said a police officer.

"Meanwhile, hearing the firing sound, Anil Jagtap came back into the cabin. At that time MLA Ganpat Gaikwad was sitting on Mahesh Gaikwad and beating him with revolver button. At that time, police inspector Anil Jagtap resisted and grabbed the revolver from Ganpat Gaikwad's hand. At the same time MLA Gaikwad's personal bodyguard, Harshal Kene, came into the hall and started shooting indiscriminately at Mahesh Gaikwad with his revolver. Meanwhile, other police officers and staff at the police station grabbed the revolvers from Kene and detained the accused. The injured Mahesh Gaikwad and Rahul Patil were immediately admitted to Ulhasnagar's Meera Hospital for primary treatment. But as his condition was critical, he was taken to Jupiter Hospital in Thane," added the police officer.

In the said case, on the complaint given by the complainant Chainu Jadhav a case has been registered against the accused MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, Harshal Kane, Sandeep Anant Saravankar, Vaibhav Gaikwad, Nagesh Badekar, Vicky Ganotra and others under section 307, 120 B, 143, 147, 148, 149, 109, 323, 504 of the Indian penal code along with sections of Arms Act.

So far the accused Ganpat Gaikwad, bodyguard Harshal Kane, Sandeep Saravankar have been arrested in the said crime. Nilesh Sonawane, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, is conducting the further investigation of the said crime under the guidance of seniors.

S. Pathare, Deputy commissioner of police, Zone 4 Ulhasnagar said, "Both the parties came to the police station to file a complaint over an land dispute. They further had an oral dispute and MLA Ganpat Gaikwad fired on Mahesh Gaikwad. Two people are injured in the incident and are undergoing treatment. We have registered a case and are further investigating the matter."

Dattarey Shinde, Additional commissioner of Police said, "We have registered a case and have arrested three people. We have gathered all the evidence including the weapon, CCTV footage, electronic evidence and also the bullet which is removed by the doctors after an surgery of Mahesh Gaikwad. Also, talking to media Ganpat Gaikwad had confess about the firing he did which is an part of evidence. Investigation to search three other accused is going on," added Shinde.

Meanwhile, on Friday late night Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde son MP Shrikant Shinde had also reached Jupiter Hospital in Thane to check the health of Mahesh Gaikwad who is there party member. A huge crowd was gathered at the Jupiter hospital in support of Mahesh Gaikwad.

However, sources from the Jupiter hospital said Mahesh Gaikwad was brought on Friday late night at the hospital with multiple gunshot injuries. On emergency basis he was operated and went through an life saving surgery late night itself. "post surgery is is kept on Intensive Care Unit and is on ventilator. His conditional is critical and a expert team of specialist doctors is monitoring him closely," said sources.

The police will produce Ganpat Gaikwad and two others in the court. Due to security reasons he may be produce over video conferencing claim sources.