Shootout at Kothrud: 3 injured as rival gangs clash

Ghaiwal and his associates were on motorcycles and a Scorpio jeep near Cummins office,when the Marne gang intercepted them and attacked them,police said. Police said the gang fight was a fallout of an old dispute.

Pappu Kudale,a close aide of Marne,allegedly hit Ghaiwal on his head with a sharp chopper. Two other associates of Ghaiwal were also injured during the fight. The bullet,allegedly fired by Marne,missed the target,after which the gangsters fled the spot.

Ghaiwal was admitted to a hospital for treatment where his condition was reported to be stable. His associate Santosh alias Pappu Hiraman Gawade (24) lodged a complaint at the Kothrud police station against Marne,Kudale,Ananta Kadam and other gang members.

Senior officers from Pune police visited the crime scene. “Four police teams have been dispatched in search of Marne and his gang members,” said Additional Commissioner of Police Prabhat Kumar. No arrests have been made so far.

The Marne gang was also involved in the attack on businessman Sameer Madan Patil last month,police said.

A group of eight masked men,allegedly belonging to the Marne gang,had shot at Patil and three others when they were travelling in a car in the Bhusari area on May 13.

According to the police,Ghaiwal is also a dreaded criminal and was once a trusted associate of Marne. Following differences,Ghaiwal parted ways with Marne and formed his own gang,police said.

Marne has been a prime accused in several serious crimes like the murder of businessman Mahendra alias Bablu Kawedai in 2003 and Patit Pavan Sanghatna activist Milind Dhole in 2001,police said.

He was booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) earlier,but was later released on bail.