Wanted criminal shot dead by cops after 5-hour chase

Dreaded criminal Balu Shantaram Dhore (28),wanted in several cases of dacoity,extortion and murder,was shot dead in a police encounter on Sunday in Supe Ghat after a five-hour ‘filmy-style’ chase. Two cops,one of them an assistant inspector with Pune rural police,were injured in the firing while four others were injured in the chase.

Dhore,who hailed from Girwali in Ghodegaon,was wanted by Pune rural police in more than 20 cases registered at Paud,Junnar,Otur,Natepute and Ghodegaon. Police teams from Manchar and Ghodegaon had received a tip-off that Dhore was to arrive at the Manchar bus stand around 1 pm. Police laid a trap but Dhore managed to escape in his car and injured the two inspectors who tried to stop his him.

Additional superintendent of police (Baramati Range) Ravindrasinha Pardeshi said,“Our teams gave Dhore a chase. Nakabandi was set up at various spots. He injured two more personnel at Shirur who tried to stop his car. The chase continued till Supe Ghat,where our team succeeded in stopping him around 6 pm.”

At Supe Ghat,Dhore came out of the car and fired at the police team. API Sandeep Bhosale and a constable suffered injuries on their hands. In retaliation,Bhosale fired at Dhore,killing him on the spot. Pardeshi and Pune rural SP Manojkumar Lohiya visited the spot after the incident. Two of Dhore’s accomplices managed to escape.