Thane: Uddhav Sena functionary Pradeep Purnekar shot dead in his Ghodbunder office

Gunshots rang out in Thane's Ghodbunder area on Tuesday night, September 29, and it soon emerged that a local political leader had been attacked. Pradeep Purnekar, alias Balu Dada, a vibhag pramukh of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction, was attacked in his own office. Six shots were fired and he was also struck with a sharp weapon. Covered in blood, Purnekar was rushed to hospital but died during treatment.

The incident took place at Ganeshnagar in Ghodbunder at about 9.30 pm. The area was busy as usual, with some people chatting outside their homes and others standing at shops. People ran towards the sound of the gunfire and were shocked by what they saw.

The firing took place in Purnekar's office. He was active in the Manpada, Azadnagar and Manoramanagar areas and was known locally as Balu Dada. Tension is high in the area after the killing, and police deployment has been increased.

Police are going through CCTV footage from the area. According to preliminary information, assailants who came on a bike targeted Purnekar and fled the spot after the attack. Police have detained two people, including Papya Shinde, while three are still being searched for. Police are keeping watch on the movements of the accused, the crime scene and their likely hideouts.

The names of Nikhil Yadav, Papya Shinde, Akash Nimse, Santosh Kanojia and one more person have come up as suspects. Two suspects are said to be in custody and a search is on for the rest. The exact role of each of them is yet to be established by the investigation.

As news of Purnekar's death spread, anger swept through his supporters and local workers. A large crowd gathered outside the hospital and demanded the immediate arrest of the accused. There was also a brief attempt to block a road. Police face the challenge of tracing the accused on one hand and maintaining law and order in the area on the other.

Pradeep Purnekar was a well-known name in Thane's local politics, and his family also has a background in it. His brother Jaynath Purnekar is said to be a former corporator. In the recent Thane Municipal Corporation election, members of the Purnekar family contested on the Thackeray faction's ticket.

Purnekar's family has made serious allegations against Thane's former mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde. According to the family, Purnekar may have been killed over a local political dispute, and they suspect the attackers had political backing. Purnekar's son Ram Purnekar, speaking to the media, said his father had been under surveillance before the killing and had received threats earlier. He also voiced apprehension about a drugs angle in addition to the political dispute.

These are allegations made by the family. They have not so far been confirmed by the investigation, and the involvement of Meenakshi Shinde or Rajendra Shinde in the murder has not been proved. The truth of the allegations and the real motive for the killing will become clear only through the police investigation.

Police are examining whether the killing has any link to local political rivalry, electoral competition or a fight for dominance. An old enmity or a local dispute is also possible. Police have said they will examine all possibilities. The family claims Purnekar had been raising his voice against some illegal activities, so this aspect may also be investigated. Cluster development and a dispute over local dominance have also been mentioned, but these claims have not been confirmed by any official investigation so far.

Police are seeking answers through CCTV, eyewitnesses, technical evidence and questioning of the suspects. How long the accused had been preparing, whether they had surveyed the area, who told the attackers that Purnekar was in the office, and whether a larger network was behind it are all part of the investigation. The real reason for the killing will be clear only after the investigation is complete.