Vanraj Andekar murder | 8 guns seized in total from suspects held in case: Pune City police

The probe was handed over to the Crime Branch of Pune City police three days after the incident. During its probe, the crime branch arrested two more suspects, identified as Sagar Pawar and Sahil Dalvi, on Wednesday and Thursday and police seized three firearms and three live rounds from them.

“Till now we have recovered a total of eight firearms, 13 live rounds, seven bikes and a car from the accused arrested or detained. We have provided police protection to Vanraj’s cousin Shivam Andekar, who is a key witness in the case and was present when the attack took place,” said an officer who is part of the probe.

The FIR in the case named Vanraj’s sister Sanjivani Komkar, her husband Jayant Komkar, his (Vanraj’s) second sister Kalyani and her husband Ganesh Komkar, and one more family member Prakash Jayant Komkar among several others. Police had initially arrested Ganesh (37) and Jayant (52). Three more accused, Sanjivani (44), Prakash (51), and Somnath Gaikwad (41), were subsequently arrested. Police said that Gaikwad, a former henchman of the Andekar gang, played a key role in the conspiracy. Probe revealed the assailants had kept a close watch on the Vanraj Andekar’s movements before striking.

According to the FIR, Sanjivani and Jayant Komkar believed their shop had been demolished by the PMC’s anti-encroachment department at Vanraj’s behest during his tenure as corporator.

The FIR also gave a detailed account of a recent dispute involving the Andekars and Komkars. Police suspect that following this dispute, Sanjivani and Jayant Komkar conspired to eliminate Vanraj and roped in Gaikwad, a notorious criminal and historysheeter from Ambegaon Pathar, who was earlier a member of Andekar Gang.

CCTV footage from the murder scene shows a group of over dozen individuals firing five bullets at Andekar and attacking him with sharp weapons, leaving him fatally wounded.