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Journalism of Courage
A special court in Pune on Friday extended the police custody of two teenagers from the dreaded Andekar gang till September 22 for investigation into the sensational murder of Ayush Komkar.
Assistant police inspector Shankar Khatke of the crime branch of Pune city police produced the two accused Yash Siddheshwar Patil (19) and Amit Prakash Patole (19), both residents of Nana Peth, before court on Friday afternoon.
Police told the court that a probe was on to find out from where the accused in this case had procured firearms used to commit the murder. Police said investigation was also on to confirm the exact motive behind the murder and get clues about the wanted accused in this case.
Ayush, 18, was allegedly shot multiple times by two gunmen in the parking lot of his residential building in Bhavani Peth on September 5. Police suspected it to be an act of revenge for the murder of former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator Vanraj Andekar, son of gang leader Bandu Andekar, on September 1, 2024.
Ayush was son of Kalyani Komkar, who is one of the daughters of Bandu Andekar. Kalyani’s husband Ganesh Komkar, sister Sanjivani and her husband Jayant Komkar, are the key accused in Vanraj’s murder.
Kalyani lodged an FIR at Samarth police station against nine persons from the Andekar family, including Bandu, his son Krushna Andekar, and four gang members Yash Patil, Amit Patole, Sujal Rahul Mergu (23) and Aman Yusuf Pathan alias Khan (22), for allegedly murdering Ayush.
Police have booked all accused under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Indian Arms Act and the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Police arrested Yash and Amit around 10 pm on September 6. A court had initially remanded the duo to police custody till September 12. Meanwhile, the investigation was handed over to the crime branch. Six more accused including Aman, Sujal, Bandu Andekar (68), his daughter Vrundavani Nilanjay Wadekar (45) and her sons Tushar (27) and Swaraj (23), were arrested on September 9. The court remanded all six to police custody till September 15.
It is alleged in the FIR as per the conspiracy allegedly hatched by the Andekar gang to avenge the murder of Vanraj Andekar, the accused Aman Pathan and Yash Patil allegedly shot dead Ayush Komkar in the parking of Lakshmi Complex, near Navrang Mitra Mandal in Bhavani Peth, where he was residing. Also, police claimed that accused Amit Patole and Sujal were present at the crime scene at the time of murder.
Meanwhile, police said search is on for four accused including Bandu’s son Krushna alias Krushnaraj Suryakant Andekar (40), nephews Shivam Udaykant Andekar (31), Shivraj Udaykant Andekar (29) and Abhishek Udaykant Andekar (21), their mother Lakshmi Udaykant Andekar (60).
