Thane police probe whether attacker was hurt by gunfire in Pradeep Purnekar murder

The investigation into the murder of Pradeep Purnekar, a worker and office-bearer of the Thackeray faction, in the Manpada, Azad Nagar and Manorama Nagar area of Thane is taking a new turn. Sources said Thane Police are examining the possibility that one of the attackers was hit by a bullet during the firing and was injured. However, this is for now only a line of inquiry, and police have not yet found any concrete evidence of it.

Last Tuesday, the attackers entered Purnekar's office and opened fire on him. They then also attacked him with a koyta. After the incident, the accused fled on a bike.

According to the police investigation, seven rounds were fired from a revolver in the office. Four of the bullets hit Purnekar. One bullet passed through his neck, while another was found lodged in his chest. He was critically injured and died before he could be taken to hospital.

An important point in the case is that Purnekar's office is very small. It is said that only two or three people can sit there. The attackers fired seven shots from close range in such a confined space. Police are therefore checking whether any of the remaining three bullets ricocheted off a wall or an object in the office. Police have taken the possibility of an attacker being hit by a ricocheting bullet into account in the investigation, but it is being made clear that there is no concrete evidence for this theory yet.

In this connection, police are also checking whether any of the other attackers, including the absconding accused Santosh Kanojia alias Tallya, was injured in the firing. According to sources, police are also trying to find out whether, if a bullet did hit the accused, he had quietly received treatment at a hospital in Mumbai or Thane. It is not yet clear, however, whether it was Santosh Kanojia who was hit.

The Thane Police Crime Branch is investigating this high-profile murder. Three suspects, Papya Shinde, Nikhil Yadav and Nitesh Pawar, have been arrested so far. Santosh Kanojia alias Tallya is still absconding. Another accused was wearing a helmet, so identifying him is a challenge for police. Police are searching for the absconding accused, and the inquiry into the real motive behind the murder and the full conspiracy continues.

On Friday after the incident, police and a forensic team closely inspected Purnekar's office. Bloodstains and other marks were reportedly found at the spot. Sources said police have taken custody of empty cartridge casings used in the firing and other possible evidence.

On the basis of this evidence, police are now examining the exact direction of the firing, the paths of the bullets, and whether any of the attackers was injured. This new theory is likely to give the investigation another important turn.