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Gangster Sharad Hiraman Mohol, who was once accused of killing alleged Indian Mujahideen terrorist Qateel Siddiqui in the Yerawada jail premises, was shot dead by a group of men, including one of his associates, over a financial dispute on Friday afternoon.
Police said Mohol (39), a resident of Sutardara in Kothrud and a native of Mutha village in Mulshi taluka of Pune district, sustained bullet injuries in the attack. He was rushed to Sahyadri hospital in Kothrud but was pronounced dead, said police. Following the incident, nine teams of the crime branch were formed who nabbed eight suspects travelling in two cars near Shirwal on the Pune-Satara highway on Friday night.
Police recovered three pistols, three magazines and five cartridges from their possession.
Police have identified the key suspect as Sahil alias Munna Polekar, a resident of Sutardara. “Prima-facie, it is suspected that the attack on Sharad Mohol was the fallout of an internal rivalry over a financial dispute within his own gang ,” said Commissioner of Police Retesh Kumaarr.
Hemant Patil, senior inspector at Kothrud police station, said about three to four men opened fire at Mohol around 1.30pm. Mohol’s aide Arun Dhumal (32) lodged a complaint at the Kothrud police station, based on which police registered an FIR under Sections 34 (common intention), 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC and relevant sections of the Arms Act.
Sources in the police said it was Mohol’s marriage anniversary on Friday. He left his office in Sutardara with his wife and was about to take his four-wheeler to go to Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh temple, when the assailants intercepted him, fired at least three bullets at him with pistols from a close range and fled the spot.
Police said since Polekar was an associate of Mohol, nobody doubted him, as a result of which he and his aides came and attacked him from almost point blank range. Mohol’s family and supporters gathered in huge numbers in front of Sassoon General Hospital, where his body was brought for post-mortem. A police force was deployed in the hospital premises to control the law and order situation. DCP Sandeep Singh Gill was present at the hospital while the post-mortem was on.
According to police, Polekar worked for Mohol. Probe so far revealed that due to a financial dispute, Polekar allegedly hatched a plan to kill Mohol with the help of his aides. He kept a watch on Mohol for the last few days. Sharad Mohol was accused in about 15 crimes but is currently out on bail.
Sharad Mohol’s wife Swati had joined the BJP and was active in party activities. Mohol had come close to several Hindutva groups in Pune and other parts. He and his wife were visible in several social activities in the city, said officials. Mohol’s funeral took place at the Vaikunth crematorium on Friday night.
Sharad Mohol shot to fame after his name cropped up in the murder of suspected Indian Mujahideen member Qateel Siddiqui in Yerwada jail premises in June 2012.
Siddiqui was arrested by the Delhi Police on November 22, 2011, after an investigation revealed his alleged role in the Jama Masjid blast in the national capital, the Chinnaswamy Stadium blast in Bengaluru, the German Bakery blast in Pune, and an attempt to bomb the famous Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh Temple in Pune.
The Maharashtra ATS took Siddiqui’s custody in May 2012 and brought him to Pune. It was alleged that Sharad Mohol and his aide Alok Bhalerao killed Siddiqui by strangulating him with a string removed from a pair of Bermuda shorts. While he was lodged in jail, Mohol also contested the poll for deputy sarpanch of his native village in December 2012 and won.
Seven years later, Mohol and Bhalerao were acquitted in the murder case by a Pune court in June 2019 due to lack of evidence.
