Pune Gangland: Identifying the Victim: Distinctive Mark on Car Unveils Victim’s Identity
By India Crime Correspondent
PUNE, July 15, 2010
In an unexpected turn of events, the victim, Shekhar Sadashiv Waghmare, had strategically painted his own name alongside his party designation onto his car. This seemingly trivial detail proved invaluable for authorities in confirming his identity.
It was this identifying mark that allowed law enforcement officials to promptly establish the victim’s background. Furthermore, a discarded cartridge was discovered within Waghmare’s vehicle, attesting to the violent nature of the incident—the bullet had directly penetrated his neck.
Deceptive Number Plate:
The assailants’ vehicle exhibited a license plate displaying the registration number MH-04/X/6395.
This proved to be a fabrication, as investigations revealed that the number had been officially allocated by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to a car of an entirely different make, belonging to Lalani Iqbal Ibrahim, a trader from Mumbai.
A Complex History:
Elaborating on Waghmare’s background, Phadtare unveiled a multifaceted character. Waghmare had been employed as a real estate agent operating within the regions of Wadgaonsheri and Dighi.
He had consistently rallied against a contentious project led by builder Rajesh Bansal. The project was plagued by allegations of encroachment upon a water channel (nullah), sparking disputes and conflicts.
Intricate Set of Motives:
Amid the murkiness of the situation, Phadtare divulged, “Waghmare’s profile features potential involvement in a prior extortion case and several cases of assault, recorded within the Vishrantwadi and Yerwada police stations. Our investigation is not confined to this single angle; we are also probing possible rivalries within the party and hostilities arising from disputes over construction activities on the disputed site.”
Motives and Extortion Claims:
Echoing Phadtare’s sentiments, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) A D Shinde conveyed, “Waghmare is believed to have allegedly demanded an extortion sum of Rs 12 lakh from Rajesh Bansal, owner of Vijayalakshmi Creations. Moreover, the deceased individual is reportedly linked to four to five extramarital relationships, adding a layer of complexity to his persona and potentially providing further insights into his motives and associations.”
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